Two Decades Later??

While reading the Gdub book "Ghosts of Ascalon" I noticed a timeline which states that from the time of the Searing up until Kryta unifies behind Queen Salma is approximately 18 years. So, does that mean that the battle of Lions Arch takes places 18 years after my Prophecies characters left pre-searing? That seems like a long time to me, which isn't properly expressed in-game.

I think the difference is between her taking the throne for good (BLA) and the country actually all agreeing she's the queen and unifying behind her completely. At least, that's the way I interpreted the timeline.

Technically its 16 years after you left since you are gone for 2 years after the searing before it puts you in post-searing

The current year for the WiK is 1079 and Salma finishes unifying Kryta in 1088. The Searing was in 1070, so the BLA takes place nine years after the start of Prophecies, not 18.

We don't know yet how much more time will be covered by GW:B. I would guess at least another year (up until the founding of Ebonhawke in 1080), but I don't know if we will ever see the complete unification of Kryta. We might see the beginning of that, though, with Livia finding the Scepter of Orr.