
To start, here’s a Webster’s Dictionary definition.
Amalgam: (noun) A compound of mercury and another metal; soft mixture; combination of elements.
Some of this seems to fit for a basic description of these cybernetic monsters. They are machine and human elements combined into a very complicated mixture.
Each one used to be human, until thousands of nano-machines entered their bloodstreams in various ways. They’re infected through getting injured by another or getting in close contact with its blood. If the infected person has a bad case of influenza, it’s possible for anyone around him or her to also have these tiny machines to get inside them—within hours. (And there’s also another way to get infected when healed by Xargin, but that will be covered seperately on how that works. ‘Cause Xargy is the only one capable of infecting by healing and reviving.) When the nano-machines are exposed to open air for over sixty seconds, they disintegrate, and become untraceable if someone such as a blood analyst attempted to search for them.
After the nano’s enter the blood, they spread throughout the body and start breaking down the human immune system, proteins, and some blood cells in order to make room for more nano-machines to appear and take over.
There is no known cure for the infection. (If there is, it’s definitely kept secret from the public and/or still a work in progress.)
Nano-machines can take over someone alive or dead, and the Amalgam is capable to take human lives. To be killed and then turned into one of them or being at risk of turning into one of them is what makes them so dangerous. Their bodies get warped in some varying designs and structure to follow Xargin’s basic programming; destroying humans. The one thing all Amalgams share in common in appearance that they have complete body armor.
The corpses that are reanimated by nano-machines have no human consciousness or reasoning. The corpses become Amalgams within a day or less. They’re not just simple-minded killing machines however, for they have the smarts to try all that’s in their capability to dodge heavy-duty gunfire as well as pick up a weapon and automatically assimilate or have the know-how to use it. (Nine millimeter bullets or any other type of the light leaded bullets that can easily tear through soft human tissue and flesh would just ricochet off their hard armor.) They can run fast on either two legs or four legs. Those that have four legs typically have the lower parts of their vertebrae extended into metal tails once fully transformed.
For the lowest and most basic types of these monsters, they are not to be taken lightly. They don’t come in many designs either, unlike the infected were alive to begin with. It requires a bit of skill and wit to get them first, before they get you.
As these monsters can easily use weapons, they can also fuse themselves with no effort to any type of moving vehicle; cars, motorcycles, bikes, trains, aircraft—anything that’s got electronic and metal parts in it. They can spot most detonators to bombs or really complicated looking bombs and deactivate them—then reactivate if the A.I. can find the opportunity to use it against something, or someone.
They can fuse themselves with any metal surfaces and use them as either shields or weapons.
Without acquiring anything to use, they’ve got sharp claws and enough speed or strength to sever human limbs.
If the A.I. within one or more Amalgam chooses to do stealth, they’re capable of hacking into security and/or computer systems to sneak inside buildings.
What they lack is thermal imaging. There’s no infrared vision equipped, so it’s possible to blend well with the surroundings and not move in order to have the upper hand.
Those who are infected while still alive have all the same capabilities the infected dead ones do, but they act more savagely. They’re capable of human speech, but in the process of their transformations many lose their sanity and self control. Their designs are more varied—for some reason the nano-machines are capable of making live human beings to grow horns, maybe have clovened feet, more strength than any ordinary person can recieve, or just basically make them look terrifying.
Along with the same skills and attacks, there is likely to be arms that can extend to put more force into a punch, super-speed, a bit more strength than the reanimated corpse ones—this only being some of what makes these Amalgams more formidable. The process before the nano-machines have spread takes longer, up to forty-eight hours before someone becomes a full-fledged Amalgam. Takes a while longer for the nano-machines to take over because of the human consciousness that resists at first. During that time, they suffer through bad fevers, paranoia, nightmares, and hallucinations. It can tend to become so unbearable that a man, woman, or child won’t be able to take it anymore.
For the fewer numbers who manage to pull through the first forty-eight hours after getting infected may be able to regain control of themselves. What could trigger or give opportunity for the nano-machines’ A.I. to take over would be very strong emotions of fear and/or anger. Those who have that strong mentality will still see things that aren’t there and have nightmares at sporadic times, starting every other day. Fighting for control over the wired programming to kill all humans is difficult, and it’s a heavy burden. Depending on the individual, they could be driven to either kill themselves or eventually accept that this how they’ll be for the rest of their lives. Or end up becoming the enemy to mankind.
Animal Amalgams
It is possible for animals to get infected by the nano-machines dead or alive, not just humans. Weiss, Xargin’s mare, has an Amalgam form. Aside from the body armor, she has a pair of large blue glowing wings. She’s a futuristic, metallic looking Pegasus that can temporarily carry Xargin’s bulky weight around while in flight.
It could happen, but not as frequent and increasing in numbers. Xargin does not intend to target animals for his genocidal ideals, so if any other animals get infected, depending on the circumstances it’s in, it may be accidental. An animal that may be feasting on a dead human corpse that came in close contact with nano-machines would be unaware of what’s entering its own blood stream. Bloodshed from one Amalgam killing a human may get on an animal that’s running away.
Since there are obviously different animals with different body structures and levels of intelligence, the same variations could exist when they Amalgamate. Many would be less resisting to be compelled to attack humans. Dogs, horses, cats, and other domesticated animals turn on their owners. Some wild animals become more dangerous than normal. And, as several humanoid Amalgams do not turn and lash out at each other, the animal Amalgams don’t attack or even prey on each other. (In writing this and thinking about this as realistically as I can, I believe animal ones are likely to be a little scarier than the humanoid ones, with the whole food chain thing going out of whack. Yikes. O.O)
In addition to what they were originally born to do, the A.I. intelligence will likely their bodies to have enhancements to their new armored forms—maybe gain extra body parts and abilities.
A List of Effective Ways to Defeat Them
- Bullets that pack a lot of punch is the most common way to do it. Rapid fire, sniper, and shotguns should do the trick. Just make sure you're a good distance away from them, so you can get them before they get you.
- Some can burn to death by flame thrower. Most likely those who had first fully Amalgamated.
- Freezing them with liquid nitrogen. Once entirely frozen, knock them over so they'll shatter to pieces.
- Blowing them up with bombs that are well hidden, or nitro glycerin.
- High speed collision with a heavy vehicle.
When Amalgams die, the surface of their armor goes dark as they break apart and turn to ash.