( 𝒊𝒊 ) CODENAME: THE EVOLVED UNDEAD
"They told us zombies were mindless. That they rotted slow and could be outrun. That a bullet to the brain was enough. Lies, all of it. These aren't corpses. They're evolution weaponized. Living extinction events. The old rules don't apply here."
— Field Notes of Elias Verin, Watcher of Null Ridge
In the ashes of post-collapse Earth, the dead don't just walk—they learn, adapt, and mutate. Born from the Neuroviral Cascade and twisted further by corrupted biotech and metaphysical interference, the infected evolved into something far beyond shamblers.
Their taxonomy is fluid, changing by the week. But based on field observations, autopsies, and survival logs, humanity has categorized them into two tiers: Basic Classes: common but deadly. And Advanced Types: rare, intelligent, and catastrophic.
These are the Evolved Undead.
— — —>
☬ BASIC CLASSES
: SPRINTERS
Codename: Greyfangs
Behavior: Aggressive, fast-moving, pack hunters. Rely on speed and numbers to overwhelm.
Environment: Common in ruined cities, open terrain, and Crimson Ring outskirts.
Threat Level: Moderate
The most frequently encountered variant. Sprinters are gaunt, their skin grey and stretched tight over wiry muscle.
The virus overrides pain responses, granting them relentless endurance. They sprint on all fours when desperate. Lone Sprinters are manageable. A pack of ten can take down a transport mech. They vocalize through snarls, clicks, and guttural howls—believed to be a form of rudimentary communication.
Weakness: Fragile bones and exposed tendons. A well-aimed shot can drop them.
Donny's Note: "They laugh when they run. Not real laughter—more like static mimicking joy."
~ ~
: SHRIEKERS
Codename: Howlers
Behavior: Emit high-frequency sonic bursts to disorient prey, jam electronics, and call others.
Environment: Fractured Zones, spore-infested tunnels, collapsed echo-chambers.
Threat Level: High
Their lungs are overgrown with crystalline fungal lattices that generate directed sound pulses. One shriek can rupture eardrums and shut down unshielded comm systems. Shrieker attacks are often followed by Sprinter swarms. Some suggest they act as organic alarm systems for the horde.
Physical features include swollen throats, fractured jaws, and chest cavities that glow faintly during sonic buildup.
Countermeasure: Noise-dampening helmets. Subdermal ear-gel injections.
Donny's Note: "I saw a man forget who he was after hearing them scream. Forgot his name. His home. Just stood there, shaking."
~ ~
: SPRAWLERS
Codename: Wallers
Behavior: Ambush predators. Anchor to surfaces. Fire spore clouds or lash with fungal tendrils.
Environment: Post-urban jungles, moist interiors, derelict sewers.
Threat Level: Variable
Once human, now half-plant, Sprawlers are stationary but deadly. Their spore sacs burst on proximity, flooding the air with hallucinogenic and infectious spores. Victims often experience vivid illusions—sometimes of dead loved ones—before being dragged into the biomass. Their presence indicates high viral saturation in the area.
Some Sprawlers sing. Lullabies. Static-choked radio jingles. No known reason.
Prevention: Fire. Flamethrowers. Thermal grenades.
Donny's Note: "They don't move. But they watch. The eyes never rot."
—
☬ ADVANCED TYPES
: THE BONEDANCERS
Codename: Mimics
Behavior: Agile and deceptive. Lure prey using voice mimicry. Operate alone or in pairs.
Environment: Ruins, dark forests, echo chambers.
Threat Level: Severe
Skeletal but lightning-fast, Bonedancers move like puppets on broken strings. They can mimic human voices—often using the tone and speech patterns of their victims' loved ones. Some victims have been lured into traps by hearing their dead daughter's voice call for help. Their hollowed chests act as acoustic chambers. Bones fused with resinous cartilage make them light yet resilient.
Donny, uniquely sensitive to emotional resonance fields, can identify them even through walls. He describes their presence as "hollow joy echoing from the wrong place."
Weakness: Distracted by their own echoes. Sharp concussive force disables vocal mimicry.
Donny's Note: "They don't lie with sounds. They lie with memories."
~ ~
: THE CROWNED
Codename: Highborne
Behavior: Intelligent. Organized. Capable of speech. Retain fragments of identity.
Environment: Crimson Ring strongholds. Underground hives.
Threat Level: Extreme
The Crowned are rare—but when encountered, they change the game. These infected retain portions of their memories, personalities, and cognitive ability. Many were scientists, generals, or high-ranking figures before infection. Unlike others, they strategize. They lead hordes, establish territories, and set traps.
Some have been seen wielding modified weapons. One Crowned was witnessed remotely controlling a drone swarm using corrupted neural interface gear.
Their heads are often adorned with fused bone or crystalline growths—hence the name.
Rumors claim they speak in dreams. Whisper to survivors at night. Offer "deals."
Donny's Note: "They remember who they were. But they no longer care."
—
☬ SPECIAL THREAT — THE OMEGA
Codename: Black Titan
Status: Singular Entity. One sighting. Possibly mythic.
Height: 50 meters
Threat Level: God-tier
The Omega is not a myth. It was seen once, near the Null Rift in former Chile. Satellite footage shows it tearing through an entire mountain range before warping the terrain into a pulsating hive. No other entity has shown the ability to reshape land on a molecular level. Its flesh constantly shifts—growing limbs, weapons, or faces. Entire swarms rise and fall with its breath.
The infected respond to it like a god. They kneel. They sing.
Donny describes it not as a creature, but as an emotion—"a thunderstorm made of bone and grief." In his visions, it appears as a bleeding sun with arms. He believes it is the source of the metaphysical corruption—the bridge between virus and void.
Weakness: Unknown. Possibly none.
Command Protocol: Avoid. Evacuate. Do not engage.
— — —>
FINAL OBSERVATIONS
The infected don't just evolve—they respond. To fear. To frequency. To human memory. The virus behind their change is no longer biological alone. It has merged with something... Deeper.
Donny suspects a metaphysical vector—an echo of psychic trauma encoded into the planet itself.
He theorizes that every major variant is a reflection of collective human sins:
Sprinters = Wrath
Shriekers = Despair
Sprawlers = Sloth
Bonedancers = Deceit
Crowned = Pride
Omega = Grief manifest
Whether metaphor or madness, the conclusion is clear:
These aren't just the dead.
They're what humans left behind when mankind broke.