Final Standoff

The End is the final chapter of Bloodbound, Book 2. It is Book 2's climactic battle against Gaius Augustine, leaving readers with speculation and theories for Book 3.

Prelude
After your mission to obtain a stake from the Tree of Eternal Life has concluded, Your Character, Kamilah Sayeed, Adrian Raines, Lily Spencer, and Jax Matsuo return to a war-torn devastated New York. Nikhil Banderjee uses Fangbook to contact the group and give them meeting coordinates. Adrian decides to go to Raines Corporation to destroy his technological and scientific work to prevent Gaius from using it; and Your Character has the choice to accompany him.

When Your Character and her friends go to meet Nikhil, the group is attacked by Ferals created by Gaius and his followers. Nikhil arrives in a truck and rescues the group, bringing them to a deserted mall, a makeshift hideout where most of them stay. He tells them that most people were able to evacuate but the situation has gotten worse. Priya Lacroix now leads the raids to hunt them down, a third of Clan Matsuo lost their lives, and Gaius is recruiting vampires to his cause. Those that refuse are executed.

Battle at the Mall
After a night of reprieve, Priya Lacroix discovers the hideout. Leading a group of Gaius' followers, she orders them to kill and to take no prisoners. Kamilah fights and kills Adrian's Archive Clerk; Your Characters fights off a few Vampires aiming for Lula and others. Arnold Northmun attacks the opposition with a massive World War II flamethrower; however if Your Character did not kill Scholar Jameson earlier, Jameson kills Arnold afterwards before fleeing himself. If Your Character chooses to, she can help Kamilah kill Priya in a premium scene and save various vampires. If not, Priya escapes when her followers are killed.

Before anyone can celebrate, Gaius sends the group another video. This time, he is holding members of Clan Matsuo hostage including Nikhil and Lula. He states that if Your Character, Adrian, Kamilah, and Jax do not surrender, he will execute the hostages. Jax is angry and wants to storm over to confront Gaius, but Kamilah and Adrian dissuade him as they know that is what Gaius wants. Your Character can choose to side with them or Jax in the matter, but reminds them that they still have their "secret weapon" - the stake that can kill Gaius. Your Character shares a final moment with her Love Interest before they leave to "surrender" to Gaius.

The End
Your Character, Adrian, Jax, and Lily go to the Metropolitan where Gaius is holding the hostages. He asks about Kamilah's whereabouts, to which Your Character can respond one of two ways, where telling him she didn't care enough about the hostages would satisfy his curiosity. He releases the hostages, and the battle begins. Kamilah appears out of nowhere in a surprise attack, and tries to stab Gaius in the back but he catches her in the act. Adrian, Jax, and Lily attack Gaius, Adrian with his fists, Jax with his sword, and Lily with an Order of the Dawn crossbow, but Gaius easily deflects each attack and takes Jax's sword. Your Character realizes that Gaius is too strong and that he can sense their movements because he can sense their blood. The fact that she isn't a vampire makes her immune to his control.

Your Character picks up the Tree of Eternal Life's stake and charges at Gaius, intent on killing him. Gaius is too quick though, and he uses Jax's sword to stab Your Character in the chest. Gaius patronizes Your Character's failure, but even wounded, she tells him that she doesn't "try", she succeeds! Your Character stakes Gaius in the chest. He doesn't turn into ash though; he begins sprouting wood and bark and transforms into a new Tree of Eternal Life. This stuns the group, but they believe that he at least is no longer a threat. As Your Character dies from her wound, she tells her chosen love interest that she doesn't want to die but she feels cold and weak. Her eyes close and the world turns to black.

A Prophecy Fulfilled
"When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice, the skies shall turn red, the earth shall be torn asunder, and the First shall walk again."

- Book 2, Chapter 2

Days later - she knows not how long - Your Character suddenly awakens. Yet, it is dark and cold and she doesn't know where she is. Your Character panics and soon discovers to her shock that she has been Turned into a vampire. Meanwhile in Greece, a fisherman finds Rheya awaken and disorientated. She reads his mind and instantly understands his words and his language. He asks her if she is all right, to which she responds that she will be.