"That"s the least of our worries," retorted Cobiah. "If the Maw hits, we"ll be dead long before she can pull us down." He could see Livia issuing subtle orders to the s.h.i.+ning Blade and noted that they were readying one of the rear lifeboats without commentary. He snorted. If the Maw struck their s.h.i.+p, Edair would likely be spirited away in a wink of Livia"s magic-with or without the prince"s consent.
But as for the rest of them . . .
"There it is!" A sailor pointed. The Maw broke the surface of the ocean on the far side of the Nomad II, its fin splitting the waves in the shadow of the drifting s.h.i.+ps. The monster circled, drawing ever closer, and Cobiah could almost sense it deciding how best to attack the enticing morsel drifting in the waves.
The Maw rose before them, its ma.s.sive teeth pulling apart as its jaws opened, revealing the enormous depth of the leviathan"s mouth. Sailors on the Balthazar"s Trident screamed in terror as they desperately tried to free the galleon from the Nomad II"s sinking grip. "If I can get to the Nomad"s cannons, I can try to shoot inside its mouth, maybe hit something vital. I might hurt it enough to make it change its path." Cobiah tried to limp forward, forcing his battered body to carry him onward one last time. But Isaye kept her hands on his shoulders, and the gentle restraint was enough to pull him back.
"It won"t make a difference, Coby," Isaye whispered, pressing her face to Cobiah"s chest. "Oh, G.o.ds. I don"t want it to end like this. Dane . . ."
"Shh." Cobiah pressed his hand to her hair, pulling Isaye close and holding her tightly.
"No, I have to tell you." Isaye stepped back, meeting his eyes. "Dane"s your son, Cobiah. I was pregnant when I left Lion"s Arch. After he was born, I kept him from you because I was angry that you didn"t give me a chance to explain. I wanted to say something, but . . ." Tears poured down her cheeks. "I should have. You"re his father, Coby . . . and I love you."
Overwhelmed, Cobiah bowed his head and kissed her, tears salting their lips. He stroked Isaye"s hair without words. Whatever happened, no matter how short their lives were, he never intended to let her go again.
To the side of the Balthazar"s Trident came a rumble that swiftly turned into a roar. Cobiah raised his head in confusion, staring as the Pride raced past the conjoined s.h.i.+ps, so close that the churning of her engine blew up a salt spray that drenched the deck of the tremendous galleon. "Macha"s pushed the engine into overdrive," Cobiah said, marveling, recognizing the sound. With her engine booming, the Pride bored past, swerving and weaving on a trajectory that would take her directly toward the Maw. "Macha can"t crew the s.h.i.+p alone," Cobiah said numbly. "What"s she doing? It must be out of control."
"I don"t think she plans to go far, Cobiah," Isaye breathed. "Look."
As they watched, the Pride slid in front of the Balthazar"s Trident. Her hardy engine blew sparks in her wake, and her keel lifted up off the water as she crested the bay"s rolling waves. The Maw"s mouth was splayed open before her, ready to swallow the pinnace whole on its way toward the two foundering vessels.
That leviathan"s too big to take down with cannons. Still, I"m a genius first cla.s.s, and as usual, I"ve got an idea.
"What? Macha? What are you doing?" Cobiah said aloud, not caring that the sailors on the Balthazar"s Trident were staring at him in confusion.
I"m sorry, Coby. It wasn"t supposed to end this way. I just wanted to balance the etheric transference between our spirits within the Eternal Alchemy. To pay my dues.
"Macha!" he yelled, clutching Isaye close and watching as the Pride raced ever faster toward the ma.s.sive sea monster. A second later, the pinnace plowed directly into the wide-jawed mouth of the Maw. The clipper drove into the back of the leviathan"s throat, engine thrumming with immense power. As he watched in horror, something within the Pride"s hold caught fire.
Good-bye, Co- The s.h.i.+p exploded.
Stunned and wounded by the detonation, the Maw could do nothing to save itself. The forefront of the behemoth erupted in the blast, body las.h.i.+ng helplessly as its head and neck were blown apart. Reduced to headless flesh and shattered bone, the monster thrashed in the waves, its death throes churning the sea to red and white foam.
Grief tinged Cobiah"s words. "She knew that engine as well as I did. As well as Sykox. It had to be deliberate. She turned the Pride into a bomb."
"She killed the Maw," Isaye said wonderingly. "Macha saved us. But why?"
He pulled her closer, wrapping his cloak around them both. "She said she wanted to make things right. And she gave her life to do it." Cobiah watched the vast body of the leviathan sinking into the waves at the mouth of Sanctum Harbor.
"Macha died to defeat the enemies of Lion"s Arch." Cobiah looked up at the morning sky, breathing in the scent of the sea and the faint smell of smoke and oil. Remembering what the asura"d said, Cobiah continued, "She paid her dues. Let her be honored as a hero." Isaye nodded in agreement, a sad smile curving her full lips. Although his body ached and his legs felt like collapsing, Isaye was warm within his arms, and the world finally felt at peace.
"Farewell, little angel," Cobiah whispered, though whether he was speaking to Macha or to the spirit of his sister, he wasn"t sure. "Thank you for watching over me."
The Balthazar"s Trident dropped anchor in Sanctum Harbor, her sails furled and her long green-and-gold banners waving with wounded dignity from the tops of her tremendous masts. Scarred and burned wood showed how much damage she"d taken, and a narrow hole in her hull just above the waterline marked the spot where she"d been pierced by the Nomad II. One of her sails was burned through, and her rear jibs had been broken by the fire cannons of the pursuing xebec. Other s.h.i.+ps of the Krytan fleet were even more damaged. Many, both from Kryta and from Lion"s Arch, had been lost in the a.s.sault.
"That was not my fault!" Yomm shouted from the Nadir s.h.i.+ll as she pulled alongside the other two s.h.i.+ps. "Macha promised she was going to use her magic to help the city. She said absolutely nothing about stealing a s.h.i.+p or detonating herself in the harbor! It was completely unprofessional of her, and I shall be filing an ex post facto grievance with the Arcane Council of Rata Sum."
"She saved our lives," Cobiah corrected him wryly.
"Yes, well, I shall also be proposing that the Arcane Council award her the Incantrix Luminus, our highest award of honor." The asura captain sniffed disdainfully and crossed his arms. "But that still doesn"t absolve her of the indignity."
Isaye and Cobiah helped Sykox across a gangplank that had been placed between the Nadir s.h.i.+ll and the Balthazar"s Trident. Fa.s.sur and Aysom followed close behind, keeping their hands on the hilts of their pistols. On the Balthazar"s Trident, armored Seraph lowered their halberds in readiness, bristling at the charr. The warband snarled, teeth bared, ready for a fight.
"Cut it out, guys," Cobiah managed to say, his breath coming in short gasps. Though he wasn"t able to yell, his soft words quelled the charr as if they"d been a tribune"s bellow. Cobiah turned to glare at the Seraph, aware that nothing he said could command them.
"Stand down, Seraph." As the prince"s marines stepped back, confused, Edair shoved his way through the guard. "You heard me," he growled, pus.h.i.+ng the blades of their pole-arms to the floor. "These charr and their fleet just saved our lives. They may be our enemies, but you"ll treat them with respect, or you"ll be swimming home." Properly chagrined, the Seraph relaxed a bit and stepped to the side.
"They aren"t." Breathing between taut lips, Cobiah kept his arm around Isaye"s shoulders to steady his balance. "Your enemy, that is. These charr are my crew. Citizens of Lion"s Arch."
"Whoa, Coby." Sykox stepped closer and gripped him gently. "You"re weaving." He frowned, looking his friend over with concern. "You"ve gone pale, and your eyes aren"t focusing. Isaye, help him sit down." Together, they lowered Cobiah to the deck, keeping the bloodied Seraph cloak tucked about him. The charr pulled his hand away from Cobiah"s body, staring down at his paw, which was red with more than the rusty color of his fur.
Edair"s eyes widened at the sight. He snapped his fingers at the Seraph, auburn hair brus.h.i.+ng the tanned skin of his cheekbones. "Bring bandages. We need to tend to his wounds." One of the marines came forward, carrying medical supplies, and began to look at Cobiah"s ravaged hand, the bloodied puncture in his back, the wound on his ribs that had again ripped open. The marine"s gentle fingers drew a gasp of breath from the commodore, and everything blurred. Cobiah"s vision narrowed. "Whoa, there, Cobiah." Edair gripped his shoulder, holding him steady. Cobiah caught sight of a concerned glance between the prince and Isaye, but things had stopped making as much sense as they had before.
"I"m fine." Cobiah tried to push the prince"s hand away. "I just need a minute to rest."
"Captain Isaye? I think someone"s waiting to see you," Livia said smoothly.
A bright voice keened from across the deck. "Mama!" It was the homesick call of a little boy. Dane beamed as he pulled his hand away from one of the s.h.i.+ning Blade, racing over the boards toward his mother. Isaye opened her arms and wrapped him up tightly, holding the child snugly to her as he laughed. "I saw the prince"s crown, and I ate an omnomberry tart, and Livia told me a story about Queen Salma . . ." Dane"s voice chattered on eagerly as Isaye kissed his face.
Livia smiled at Isaye. "Your son was very brave."
"He takes after his father," Isaye said, holding the child close. She tousled his mahogany locks and turned toward Cobiah. "Dane, I want you to meet Cobiah." The little boy stared at the commodore and ducked his face into his mother"s dark hair, suddenly shy. "Coby . . . this is your son." As he met the child"s eyes, which were blue and wide with innocence, Cobiah felt as though he were young again, standing on the docks of old Lion"s Arch, teasing a little girl about mermaids and keeping her safe from bad dreams. They had the same pure gaze, the same bashful smile.
Cobiah reached out and put a hand on the boy"s shoulder, his heart filled with joy. "He"s beautiful, Isaye."
"He"s a scamp, that"s what he is." Isaye squeezed the boy close. "Just like his father."
With a smile, Cobiah reached into his pocket. "I don"t know if it"s the kind of thing boys like, but here-I have a present for you." Cobiah drew the rag doll from his inner pocket, pressing it into the child"s hands. "Someday, I"ll tell you a story about my sister, Biviane. This was her doll. Now it"s yours. Keep her close, and she"ll keep you safe. Just like she"s always done for me." Cobiah folded the boy"s hands around the soft rag doll, smiling as the child looked at it with curious eyes.
Although the boy didn"t understand the toy"s significance, he held the rag doll close, cradling it like a treasured friend. "What"s her name?" Dane asked inquisitively.
"Polla," Cobiah replied. Dane ran a gentle hand over her yellow yarn curls and smiled.
Cobiah let out a grunt as fresh bandages were tightened around his waist. His injured hand was wrapped with strips of fabric, blood spotting the white canvas like foam on a still tidal pool. "Your Highness," the medic said quietly. "His wounds are extensive. I"ve done everything I can to help him, but the commodore"s lost a great deal of blood. I don"t know if . . ." The Seraph"s words trailed off.
"I"ll be fine." Cobiah pushed the medic away. "I just need some rest. At home. With my family." Isaye looked at him fondly, and they shared a smile.
"If we still have a home," Fa.s.sur growled, his voice low and threatening. "The Orrians are gone, but the war"s not over. Kryta still holds Lion"s Arch hostage."
Edair bristled. Before the prince could speak, Livia"s cool voice broke in. "His Royal Highness has come to an accord with Commodore Marriner. I"m certain that no further violence will be necessary."
For a moment, Cobiah thought the pompous Krytan might go back on his word. Edair smoothed the sleeves of his ruined doublet, frowning thoughtfully as he considered the implications of their bargain. At last, the prince nodded somberly. "So I did. Full independence, I believe, was our agreement."
The charr broke into wide smiles and roars of approval, and both the Nomad II"s crew and the asura under Yomm"s command began to chatter in gleeful satisfaction. Cobiah held up a hand to quiet them. Addressing the prince, he said, "You were looking to make history here in Lion"s Arch, Prince Edair. I respectfully suggest that you"ve done exactly that-though not in the way you were intending." He took a deep breath, feeling the wounds and aches of his body throbbing with the movement. "A conquered people will always resist you, Edair. But allies-allies will fight by your side." Cobiah put a hand on Sykox"s mane, ruffling the charr"s reddish fur between his fingers. "You"d be surprised what we can achieve together.
"That is the lesson of my city, Prince Edair." Cobiah raised his voice, aware that everyone on deck-charr, human, and asura, Krytan and citizen of Lion"s Arch alike-was listening. "Together, Tyria is stronger than it could ever be in parts."
Edair nodded, his features softening. A twinkle of his old impudence sparkled in the prince"s eye. "All of you gathered here on this day," he demanded, voice rising to address the gathering. "I call on you to witness my words, as prince of Divinity"s Reach and heir to the Krytan throne."
The prince drew his sword and held it sideways, giving his oath on the blade. "On this day, the nation of Kryta hereby recants all authority over the city of Lion"s Arch and the lands it claims, so long as it continues to fight against the threat of Orr. With courage, it"s earned its freedom-and our friends.h.i.+p." He bent his knee and held the blade out to Cobiah as the others crowded around them on the Balthazar"s Trident"s deck. "In return, do you, as commodore of this city, pledge your goodwill to Kryta, as her friend in peace and her ally in time of need?"
Cobiah placed his hand on the steel of the prince"s sword. "As leader of the council, I, Cobiah Marriner, do so swear."
Livia called out to all those a.s.sembled, her dark eyes flas.h.i.+ng beneath the silken sway of her scarlet hair. "Let the word travel across Tyria-Lion"s Arch shall forever be free."
Cheers erupted from the gathered crew of both s.h.i.+ps. The charr roared in approval, and even the Seraph looked relieved and pleased by the accord. Other s.h.i.+ps in the harbor, sailing close enough to hear the news pa.s.sed by eager shouts, took up the cry until the crew of every s.h.i.+p in the harbor were waving their hats and firing their guns in celebration.
"Did you see that crazy asura?" Sykox flopped down on the deck beside Cobiah, his paw resting on the commodore"s shoulder, claws gently curved around his old friend"s arm. "Tricked us, stole the Pride, and then blew up our s.h.i.+p!"
Cobiah nodded. "You should never have taught her how the compression unit worked."
The spotted charr chuckled. "Too true." He shook his head, mane rustling around his brawny shoulders. "That little ear flapper did the right thing in the end. I"d give her the greatest compliment a soldier of the legions can give." Sykox crossed one arm in front of his chest in an Iron Legion salute, looking out toward the area where the Maw had been destroyed. "She died like a charr."
"So she did, my friend. So she did." Cobiah closed his eyes, a wash of exhaustion flooding over him.
It was done. Although there was still much to do to rebuild the city"s fleet and restore her trade routes, with this agreement, more and more travelers and merchants would come to Lion"s Arch. The city was safe, and there would be peace. As celebrations broke out around them, Cobiah was acutely aware of Isaye"s presence at his side, her arms cradling his body and her eyes filled with love. When she spoke, her voice was a soft, welcome whisper in his ear. "Come on, Cobiah.
"Let"s go home."
"WEATHER THE STORM"
(A TYRIAN SEA SHANTY).
You don"t know a storm "til you ride the wind Beneath cold and blackened skies, O "Til you"re sailing through a thunderhead With the lightning in your eyes Death, he laughs in the sails and the jags And the b.l.o.o.d.y sun won"t rise, O.
A sailor"s life"s filled with toil and strife The sea"s both boon and bane, O We"re Kryta bound on a northern tide Through the lightning and the rain We"ll sail through all these stormy nights "Til we"re safe at home again, O.
Open sea, and we"re homeward bound Fair or foul the weather, O The cap"n swears we"ll make our port Though the sun"s burned to an ember If the Dead s.h.i.+ps come and the darkness falls Then we"ll all go down together, O.
She"s a restless sloop with a six-armed maid A-dancing on her prow, O Her bra.s.sy cannons crease the sea But the weather"s chased her down Her compa.s.s spins, and her captain screams And the crew"s all dead and drown"d, O.
The sails are rent, and the engine"s blown The keel is split to stern, O We lost the rudder to the tide And the mizzenmast is burning The rain"s like nails, and our harbor"s lost And the compa.s.s spins and turns, O.
Now the darkness comes, and the stars above Circle "round like sharks at sea, O Instead of fighting for our lives We should be sitting at our ease But I chose the strife of a sailor"s life And the ocean, she chose me, O.
The wind, it howled, and the thunder boomed Thought the storm might just prevail, O But we shouldered on "til the break of day And we tamed that fearsome gale Held to courage and to honor And we lived to tell the tale, O.
No, you don"t know a storm "til you ride the wind Beneath cold and blackened skies, O "Til you"re sailing through a thunderhead With the lightning in your eyes Death, he laughs in the sails and the jags And the b.l.o.o.d.y sun won"t rise, O.
Acknowledgments.
Special thanks to Jeff Grubb, Scott McGough, and David Wilson: three exceptional companions in this journey through the history of Lion"s Arch. Your invaluable input, insight, and patience have made Tyria-and this book-come to life.
About the Author.
Ree Soesbee is an award-winning writer, game designer, and author of more than sixteen novels in a wide variety of fantastic worlds, including the ever-popular Dragonlance saga. She is a member of ASCAP and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and has been nominated for multiple Origins Awards. Ree currently works professionally as a narrative designer for ArenaNet on the internationally acclaimed MMORPG, Guild Wars 2.
Her credits include traditional pen-and-paper RPGs such as Star Trek, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, and 7th Sea. She worked as lead writer for Legend of the Five Rings (both CCG and RPG) and was a primary designer for the Warlord CCG.
Ree holds a master"s degree in Myth and Literature, performed her doctorate studies at UNCChapel Hill, and now lives in Seattle, where she spends her time writing, playing RPGs, MMORPGs, and LARPS, and being handmaiden to the Grand Adventuress of Cats.
Don"t miss these other thrilling novel-length fantasy adventures from the world of GUILD WARS.
Edge of Destiny.
by J. Robert King.
Ghosts of Ascalon.
by Matt Forbeck and Jeff Grubb.
We hope you enjoyed reading this Pocket Books eBook.
end.