Halo: Edge of Dawn
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| Halo: Edge of Dawn | ||||
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336 pages[4] | |||
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| Part of A Master Chief Story | ||||
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| Part of A Halo Infinite Story | ||||
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Halo: Edge of Dawn - A Master Chief Story is a Halo novel written by Kelly Gay.[3] It was announced on the Canon Fodder Live panel at the Halo World Championships 2024,[1] and released on December 16, 2025. The novel is a part of the A Master Chief Story series of novels.[3] The novel ties in with elements from Gay's previous novel Halo: The Rubicon Protocol alongside serving as a sequel to Halo Infinite.[6] The novel was later retroactively tied to the A Halo Infinite Story putting it after the aforementioned Halo: The Rubicon Protocol.
A preview of the novel was featured in the scene reading panel with Steve Downes and Jen Taylor during the Halo World Championship on October 24, 2025.[7][8] Nicolas Roye, Fernando Esparza's voice actor, is the audio novel's main narrator, alongside Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, and Debra Wilson reprising their roles as John-117, Joyeuse, and the Harbinger, respectively.[9]
The book starts with a poem epigraph called This Is the Way My World Ends, and contains an adjunct section with a single poem/short story, Harbinger's Lament.
Official summary[edit]
| “ | 2560. After eliminating War Chief Escharum and sending the Banished leadership into chaos, the Master Chief continues the fight on Zeta Halo, accompanied by his new AI companion and their loyal pilot Fernando Esparza.
As Spartan-117 searches for scattered allied forces, a young combat medic—tortured and imprisoned for months by the Banished and the enigmatic Harbinger—may hold the key to unlocking deeper mysteries within this ancient ringworld. But every step towards answers is haunted by the sinister and elusive blademaster Jega 'Rdomnai, who is hellbent on vengeance....[6] |
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Plot synopsis[edit]
The book opens at the end of Halo Infinite, after John-117 has killed the Harbinger. John-117 and his Smart AI companion, "The Weapon" exit the Silent Auditorium through a portal, and exit onto a desert section of the ring, Installation 07, also known as Zeta Halo. Echo 216's pilot, Fernando Esparza, picks up the pair. John discusses with Esparza about what happened during the three days of slow teleport, where Esparza tells the two that the Banished had begun broadcasting prisoner executions, retaken some of the FOBs the Master Chief had liberated, some individuals turned on the human-led factions and, most notably, the Banished would intent to elect a new leader to take Escharum's place on the final day of his funeral tomorrow. With the Rubicon Protocol still in effect, the Master Chief planned to sow chaos in the Banished ranks to turn the tides in the UNSC's favor. During the conversation, The Weapon chooses her new name: Joyeuse. Esparza soon after took everyone to his hideout in a ruined UNSC frigate, which Esparza has nicknamed "Casa De Esparza". After having rested, the Master Chief, Esparza and Joyeuse fly out aboard Echo 216 to the House of Reckoning where the Banished forces are gathered for Escharum's funeral and the debate on who will take the War Chief's place. Chief has Esparza land a bit away from the House of Reckoning, so Phantom and Banshee patrols won't detect them. The Master Chief has Joyeuse search for Sentinels, so she can control them with the Encephalon they received from the the Harbinger, after she took it from 117649 Despondent Pyre.
Atop the House of Reckoning, Jega 'Rdomnai laments his time serving with the War Chief and how he hopes that the next leader will live to Escharum's glory. Jega preforms the death ritual for a Jiralhanae, carving vigils of each of Doisac's moons into his hand, forehead and chest over the past three days. Jega then hands Denakrium a ritual horn carved from the spine of a Thorn beast to sound and watches as Ballas burns the War Chief's body. With that, the contenders to become the next War Chief, Ballas, Gallian, Denakrium, and Val 'Hasumai, make their speeches. Ballas, Gallian and Val 'Hasumai all promise revenge for Eschurum, but would progressively more hostile toward humans with Ballas simply promising death to the Master Chief, Gallian calling for the death of all humans on the ring and Val 'Hasumai calling for them to destroy Earth to honor Escharum. Gallian then spoke again and accused Escharum of not being brutal enough, noting all the Master Chief had killed and almost killed in the case of Jega. Enraged, Jega killed Gallian by splitting him in two with his Energy sword, causing a fight to break out amongst the gathered Banished forces; Kig-Yar attacking Humans, Jiralhanae smashing Unggoy and Sangheili infighting. After a moment, Jega 'Rdomnai steps up to the podium to get everyone's attention, stating that he did not care who the new Banished leader would be, only that they honor Escharum's legacy to kill every human of the UNSC.
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