Okay, I admit. There were always five books to the "Blood War" series [which very well may be renamed the "Stinda Series"... I'm debating it because book 3 has little Alexander in it, though I've decided to add Thomas to the mix. Justice, too.
Anyway. That's neither here nor there [nor anywhere] I have finished the renaming of the books themselves and would love to share this information with you all. Keep in mind, some books did not change... 2 of them, actually. Here we go!;
Corruption -> Shows many of the characters that will be with us throughout the series becoming "corrupt" by doing things they wouldn't normally do, either for their own personal glory or for what they believe is the greater good.
Resurrection -> In the flames of the aftermath of Corruption, many of the surviving characters are at their all-time-low, struggling with either their new lives or dwelling on their past mistakes. Meanwhile, there's a whole world out their seeking revenge on some while trying to lock others away forever. Only the strong will survive, rising from the ashes like the great Phoenix of myth.
Evolution -> Some of the missing Corruption characters from Resurrection have run from their past mistakes and instead are now staring down the barrel of their past lives. Dealing with new abilities and a fresh, free open mind, they must adapt or die. Those who do not evolve will become extinct.
Ascension -> With past plights behind them, our band of characters have new dangers ahead of them. They have overcome their weaknesses and insecurities, growing into who they are meant to be. Now they must take their rightful places in the world, by force if necessary.
Revelation -> Battlegrounds have been chosen. Now is the time to choose your allies and face your enemies. For too long, the world has been blind to so much violence and bloodshed. No longer. The world is about to wake up from it's pleasant dreams and face on Hell of a Revelation.
Now, some details;
I WARN YOU! THE FOLLOWING WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION FOR FUTURE BOOKS! DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SOME OF THE STORY SPOILED!For those of you who don't know, Corruption introduces us to a number of main characters that will be with us throughout the series. Alexander and Thomas Stinda, two rival brothers, Brant the Lycan, Elizabeth Jensen and Jessica Marech, two girls who wander into a sanctuary for Witches/Lycans/Vampires and are marked for death because they tell the police, and [of course, can't forget this one!] Justice, the sadistic Vampire/demonologist/voodoo guy that everyone loves because he's so freaking sick. We learn about the past of a few of these important people and we mainly focus on Alexander, the second Vampire to ever exist who's run from his sire, Tyrale Corren and now works as an assassin who's so thorough that when he kills a target, no one even remembers the person ever existed. He erases memories, shreds paperwork, the whole nine yards. No one does it better. Of course, things are never that simple and people are trying to betray Alexander, kill him and he's struggling with his own humanity [even though he's lived a few lifetimes trying to deny he's got any left]
In the end, Alexander falls into a coma after saving the two girls he's supposed to kill, kills his betrayer, burns a town down and would probably be killed if only his brother, Thomas didn't let him go.
Resurrection shows us most of the same characters [save Justice and Brant, I believe] as well as some new ones. It's a few weeks/month[s] later and Elizabeth and Jessica [now Vampires, sired by Alexander. He turned them because they'd have died if he didn't. Long story, no details] are still watching over a comatose Alexander. The betrayer from Corruption had a brother who is now out for revenge and has a price on Alexander's head. The two Vampire girls are trying to protect them while one gets herself involved in something she doesn't truly understand, which may cost her whatever's left of her humanity and sanity. Thomas has returned to his superiors having inevitably failed his mission to rescue the two girls and is struggling with his assignments and his decision to let his brother live after having pledged lifetimes to hunting him down and killing him. We focus more and more on Thomas and his struggles as they begin to affect how he treats others and acts in general, slowly turning him into a darker person. While all of this is going on, Alexander is trapped in some kind of mental trial where he must re-live his worst mistakes over and over again until he learns some kind of truth/lesson from each instance. Failure to realize the truth will cause him to stay in the coma, possibly forever, tortured by the memories over and over again until he goes insane. Inevitably, he finds the truth in each lesson and rises up from his coma with a newfound wealth of power he cannot explain, along with a distant voice in the back of his mind calling him back to a location that once meant something to him and his sire.
Evolution changes focus to our missing cast, Brant and Justice, as well as showing bits and pieces of Thomas [after Resurrection]. Brant finds himself developing new Vampire-like mental abilities he cannot control at first and returns to his hometown that Cyrik took him from long ago. He finds out the tragedy that befell his family and loses his humanity to the animal inside every Lycan. Creating a path of havoc and death behind him, Brant is hunted by a group of Stalkers and inevitably, he's captured by them. Unable to explain his mental abilities, the group decides to bring him back to the Guardian's council and let them observe him to learn what they can. They are, however, stopped by Justice [of all people] who not only helps release Brant but calms the savage creature he's become. Justice and Brant travel together for a short time, as Brant is worried about what he'll do if Justice cannot stop his savagery which is now eating away at his mind at all times. Justice tries to show Brant to embrace this new side as a part of him instead of fight it like an enemy, but Brant fears of becoming the kind of monster Cyrik was. Throughout this, we see Thomas hunting Brant's trail alone. We see him finding Lycans that Brant has accidentally created, along with innocents and see Thomas struggle even more with his choices. He begins to blur the lines between right and wrong, helping Lycans escape and even killing humans in the process. Inevitably, Thomas finds brant after he has left Justice's side and after a battle, Thomas awakens the power of the Protector, making him much stronger than Brant. Finding himself in the position to kill the Lycan, Thomas struggles with the decision and then lets Brant go, unable to justify the killing of one Lycan when he has helped many in the recent days. A second band of Stalkers sees this and takes Thomas into custody for treason, vowing to bring Thomas home to the Guardian council, which, according to Guardian law, will have no choice but to put Thomas to death.
Ascension reverts back to Alexander and some of Thomas. Alexander begins to search for whatever the voice in the back of his mind is trying to have him find, eventually winding up in his hometown from centuries past. What was once a town has become something of a wasteland. Alexander begins to try to find out what happened to his former home, sending Elizabeth and Jessica away [and quite possibly Sandra, if I don't kill her off in book 2] Alexander begins to find that years after the last time he visited his home, someone invaded the town with a small force of raiders and destroyed it. Feeling compelled to explore more, the Vampire investigates and eventually finds one lone survivor; A Vampire who, while centuries old, has the appearance of a boy half the age Alexander was when he was turned. The younger Vampire tells Alexander that the raiders were a horde of Vampires who killed all of his friends and family before his eyes, before turning him and telling him that one day the one responsible for the destruction would find him. Realizing that person is Alexander, the boy tries to attack him, but Alexander stops him, restrains him and forces him to take him to the raiders, already suspecting who they are. The boy leads Alexander straight to the home of [dun dun DUUUN] Tyrale Corren [who is currently living under the name Arthur Cain and publishing "fictional" stories of Vampire history] Tyrale attempts to convince Alexander to stay with him, but of course the younger Vampire refuses and the two fight with Alexander eventually winning, drinking the blood of Tyrale. Despite his sire dying, Alexander and the rest of Vampire-kind continue to live because by drinking his sire's blood, Alexander as assumed the role of Father Vampire. The Vampire guide-boy tries to kill Alexander but the older Vampire explains what really happened that Tyrale was the real villain and the boys swears loyalty to Alexander.
Meanwhile, after Alexander dismisses them, Elizabeth and Jessica roam freely a bit, not truly sure what to do with themselves. They stumble across another Sanctuary, burned to the ground. Drinking some of the blood of the dead, they learn from their memories that a band of Stalkers came through the area, transporting a captive and wiped the small Sanctuary out. Seeing through the memories of the dead, the girls recognize the captive as Thomas and after some debate, decide to help him. Tracking the Stalkers, they eventually find their camp and sneak inside to talk to Thomas. A now bitter man, Thomas tries to rebuke their help, claiming he's welcoming death over the betrayal and horror not only the Vampires show, but even his own people. After some insistence from the girls, he explains what happened and why he is a captive and what is going to happen to him once he is returned to the council. Giving him the option of escaping with them, Thomas not only refuses but calls for the guards. The girls decimate the Stalker camp, mostly thanks to Jessica's recently developed blood thirst [after her little "drug problem" in book 2... No details] Angry, they confront Thomas and he claims they are a great example of what he hates in the world. Realizing they cannot get through to him, they slash his bindings and explain that only he and they know what happened here and before. If he goes now, he can return to his people a hero or disappear and they leave. Thomas strongly desires isolation from a damned world in his eyes, but realizes the responsibility he carries, being the Protector and decides to join the Guardians once again.
Revelation is the final book of the series and shows Alexander calling out to his people. Some of the first to arrive are the young boy from book 4, along with Elizabeth and Jessica. He explains that it is time to show the entire world what has really been going on behind it's back, whether they want to realize it or not. Finding a way to get the message out, Alexander sends out a message to every human in the world, explaining the underground war that's been raging on behind their backs for over a thousand years. He ends the message by calling out to all of his people, even his cousin Lycans and the parent race of the Vampires, the Witches along with any forces left in the world willing to take his side. The last thing he says in the message is a declaration of open war with the world, claiming that the only way to stop him is to give him what he wants; a home for him and his people/allies.
Thomas returns to the Guardians and learns of Alexander's declaration. Now slowly going mad with the guilt of letting his brother live, Thomas creates a story for the Guardian council, explaining his recent travels and how he tried to aid the Stalkers Jessica and Elizabeth killed. Revealing he has become the Protector, the Guardian council shows no surprise as it was planned all along that one day Thomas would fill the role. Shocked and angered over their silence, Thomas still tries to do what he believes is the right thing, thinking his problems all started with Alexander surviving the battle at New Blood. He takes his place as commander of the Guardian army and begins to rally their forces. Unfortunately, the former sheriff of the New Blood area has survived all this time and also returned to the council. Rallying his own army of Hunters, Michaels suspects that Alexander surviving is Thomas' fault and the two develop a rivalry soaked in hatred.
Brant hears Alexander's call for allies and now embracing his savage side, journeys to meet the Vampire. Along the way, he passes through traveling bands of Lycans, who he aids and accompanies, eventually amassing a great number. As the alpha males of these groups fight for superiority, Brant listens to the people and realizes they are afraid for their lives not only of the Guardians and Stalkers, but their own leaders who have grown more savage and less kind as they accumulate power. Outraged at his people's actions, he challenges all the alpha males for their command and after a battle where he utilizes more of his mental ability that he knew he had, he wins, becoming something of a king of the Lycans. As the people embrace him, he leads them to Alexander and becomes one of his generals.
A number of other characters emerge to fight for Alexander, including the alchemist Abraham and the witch, Shrika. Justice returns not only with a small band of tribal Vampires that apparently he's been sire of for centuries and training them in deadly arts of survival, but a small number of demons and other dark creatures under his control, becoming Alexander's Councilor.
The battle finally begins and in the midst of things, we see Thomas cross a line he never has. Despite killing humans in the moment of trying to save Lycans, Thomas has never purposefully killed someone on his side of the war. Seeing a chance to rid himself of his rival, Thomas attacks, fights and kills Michaels, the Hunter dying with a smirk saying that Thomas has become just as bad as his brother.
The two brothers find each other as Alexander is watching over the battle. Thomas accuses Alexander of everything wrong with his life and Alexander calmly responds that if it wasn't for Thomas hunting him, Alexander would have never been in his younger brother's life to begin with. Alexander chides and ridicules his brother, claiming the Guardian must finally become responsible for his own choices and mistakes instead of passing the blame to others. He continues to lecture his brother, eventually coming the idea that Thomas needs to do what is best for Thomas, not the world. When the Guardian tries to call his brother a hypocrit for helping the Vampires all over the world, Alexander says the circumstances are different. Having become the Father Vampire, Alexander is one with everyone of his race. Having gained allies over the past months/year[s], he finds these people to be his new family and it is in his best interest to protect them as best he can. He declares he has found something to fight for and asks what Thomas fights for. As the Guardian struggles for an answer, he realizes he has none. Mentally defeated, the Guardian throws down his weapon and the last chance the Guardians had of winning [that being the Protector] walks away from the conflict, turning his back on the world.
The Vampires soon push the Guardians back and stake their claim in the world, taking half of North America as their land, which they name Deadland. Alexander is known as King of the Deadlands and Thomas is never heard from again. Elizabeth and Jessica become Alexander's personal body guards, the young Vampire boy [now missing an eye] becomes the Vampire General of Alexander's armies, Brant takes his throne over all the Lycans, Justice and Abraham take huge territories to call their own and Shrika, who in the battle had to sacrifice her left leg for the bone required in a spell, becomes Queen of the Witches.
And they all live happily. Ever. After.
~The End~
