J. Robert King - Guild Wars: Edge of Destiny

T he moment before the
axe-rifles fired, Logan Thackeray
swept his hand out in a fan.

A blue aura bled from his fingertips into the air, solidifying it in a curved wall before the scouts.

Fire! the charr centurion roared.

The axe-rifles boomed and vomited smoke and lead. But the shots struck the ethereal membrane and sank into it and were eaten away. Bullets showered rust to the ground.

The leader of the charr stared, his jaw dropping. Youre full of surprises!

Im Logan Thackeray. I protect those who are mine.

Im Rytlock Brimstone, the charr shot back. I kill those who arent.

I recognize your blade. Did you say Rurik Brimstone?

Rytlock, the charr snarled.

Logan shrugged. I just figured since you stole Prince Ruriks sword, you probably also stole his name.

Rytlock lashed the air with the burning blade. The swords mine now.

After this fight, Logan said, whirling his war hammer in a figure eight, Sohothin will once again be in the hands of a human.

During this fight, Rytlock spat, Sohothin will once again be in the guts of a human. He looked back at the charr around him. Turn those damned rifles around and chop them to pieces!

ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE
GUILD WARS NOVEL SERIES

Ghosts of Ascalon
Matt Forbeck and Jeff Grubb

Pocket Star Books A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2011 by ArenaNet, Inc. All Rights Reserved. NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, ArenaNet, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Ghosts of Ascalon, Edge of Destiny, and all associated logos and designs are trademarkes or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Star Books paperback edition January 2011

POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com .

Cover art by Kekai Kotaki
Cover design by AJ Thompson
Map cartography by Robert Lazzaretti

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-4165-8960-0
ISBN 978-1-4391-5604-9 (ebook)

To Eli, the ardent player;

To Aidan, the ardent listener; and

To Gabe, who named his hamster Rytlock

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to everyone at ArenaNet, especially Will McDermott, Ree Soesbee, Jeff Grubb, James Phinney, Randy Price, Stephen Hwang, Colin Johanson, David Wilson, and Bobby Stein. A special thanks to Jeff Strain, Patrick Wyatt, and Mike OBrien, the founders of ArenaNet and creators of Guild Wars.

Thanks also to Pocket Books and Ed Schlesinger, and to fellow authors Matt Forbeck and Jeff Grubb.

And thanks especially to Jennie and the boys, for putting up with me as I fight dragons.

Time Line

EDGE OF
DESTINY

Prologue

DREAM AND NIGHTMARE

T he flames were beautiful. They looked like autumn leavesred and gold, rattling as the wind tore through them, breaking free and whirling into the sky.

The village was flying away. Thatch and wattle and rafters all were going up in ash.

Caithe watched the village and the villagers burn.

She was too late. Everything was fire.

Still, it was beautiful.

Caithe, sylvari of the Firstborn, dropped down from the boulder where she had crouched and stalked slowly into the burning village. Like all of her people, Caithe was slender and lithe, the child of a great tree in a sacred grove. She was one with the natural world. Even her travel leathers bore the vine motifs of her homeland. Caithe pushed silvery hair back from wide eyes, watching for signs of life in the burning village. Only the flames lived. She listened for voices, but only the fire spoke.

Caithe didnt fear the fire. She was young and strong, voracious and indomitable and curiousjust like fire. It had drawn her here. It was interesting.

Who had started it? How? Why? What had this village been called?

I love a bonfire, came a voicedeep and dark, feminine and familiar.

Caithe turned to see a sylvari woman garbed in a black-orchid gown as if this were some fancy ball. Caithes eyes narrowed. What are you doing here, Faolain?

Faolain gave the suffering smile of an addict. The fires drew me.