Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Amber drummed her fingers against the desk, eyes scanning the latest reports. The office smelled faintly of antiseptic and burned coffee, a combination she had learned to associate with late nights and endless paperwork. Outside, the sky was ashen gray, heavy with the threat of rain. Shadows pooled in the corners of the office, swallowing the edges of the furniture and papers alike. The air felt thick, almost suffocating.

The door slammed open, the employees stumbled in, her skin waxy, sweat dripping off her head.

Amber peered up from her papers, lowering her pen, one brow arched. “You don’t look well. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I- I tried to get inside before they-“ the words dissolved? Into a rasping cough. They stumbled forward, clutching at the desk for balance.

“Slow down. What are you trying to say?

Then their eyes met hers, glassy, unfocused and something in their expression snapped. With an inhuman noise, they lurched across the desk, teeth sinking into her shoulder before she could recoil.

Amber screamed, the report slipping from her hand, pages scattering to the floor, a silent testament to chaos she hadn’t yet faced.

She stumbled back, swiping the woman away as best as she could. The burn of the bite made her flinch. Her hand went to the desk as if it could anchor her back to reality.

“Attention, all staff and personnel,” she barked, her voice sharp cutting through the alarms blaring around the office. “Anyone still breathing, defend yourselves!”

Workers scrambled, chairs toppling over desks, monsters clattering to the floor. Amber's eyes swept the room, The office was chaotic but she could still command it. She adjusted her stance, forcing herself to focus. There was no time to panic.

Somewhere in the building, distant crashes echoed, accompanied by low unsettling groans. Shadows moved in the corners of her vision, but she didn’t pause to identify them. She couldn’t. Right now she had to control what she could, the immediate room, the workers who hadn’t run screaming yet

Her pulse quickened. The others scattered, and unknown threats lurking. Every instinct screamed at her to move. The bite throbbed at her shoulder,
But she pushed it aside. Survival came first. Chaos second.

She moved cautiously through the lab, the building was wrecked already, blood was smeared across almost every wall. She had to stay focused. As she rounded a corner, a figure appeared from the shadows, tall, and unmistakably familiar.

“Brother?” She said, her eyes locked on him. For a heartbeat, she couldn’t move, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“You’re alive. Good.” Amber's voice was tight, controlled, cutting through the alarms and chaos.
She took a step closer, scanning him for injuries without letting her guard down.

He stood there, a knife glinting in his hand, his shirt torn open to reveal his scarred chest. His eyes scanned the room. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got for me, Good?!” Luigi’s voice cracked with frustration as he swung the knife in a wide arc, taking in the damage around them. “Do you even realise what’s fucking happening here?”

Luigi growled, pacing a step closer. “I’m trying to help, you little-“

“I don’t care what you’re trying!” Amber snapped, stamping a foot, “At least say something useful instead of yelling like a toddler!”

Luigi froze for a second, staring at her. Then muttering under his breath, he gripped the knife tighter. “Fine. But don’t think this changes anything.”

“Where the hell is everyone?” He barked, kicking aside a broken chair with enough force to splinter the leg. “First the workers, now Pavi? He’s supposed to be here! Always parading around, showing off his face, how the fuck does he disappear when things go to shit?”

Amber snorted, flipping her hair back. “Maybe he’s too busy kissing a mirror to notice the apocalypse.

Luigi gave a sharp, humorous bark of a sound, half a scoff, half a laugh. “Tch. Figures.”

She tossed the jab out like a knife, but the silence that followed made her stomach twist. As much as she hated to admit it, Luigi wasn’t wrong.
Pavi should have been here, whining, strutting, something. His absence felt too loud.

The deeper they roamed the corridors, the darker it became. Emergency lights flickered along the ceiling, casting the walls in dull red. Papers scattered across the floor like snow. Somewhat distant, a crash echoed…then silence.

Amber froze at the edge of the hall. Luigi paced, muttering curses under his breath.
“He’s not here,” Amber said her voice tight.

Luigi swore spinning toward her. “Then where the hell is he?!”

Amber gaze caught something, something small glinting in the dim light. She hesitated, unsure what it was, but a sense of unease prickled at her.

Before she could react, a low sound echoed from the maintenance door. A scraping, dragging noise.

Luigi’s knife went up instantly. “what the-“

Amber didn’t answer. Her heart was hammering, but her mind was empty. Whoever or whatever left that mark had been here. And they were still somewhere in the building.

Then a sudden crash from the next corridor sent both of them spinning. Luigi raised his knife instantly, while Amber crouched behind a toppled chair, eyes scanning the shadows.

“Stay sharp,” she whispered. “We’re not alone.”

They came to a halt when the flashlight shone on the ground, both of them looked at each other in horror. Slumped on the floor. A figure, trembling and barely moving, barely breathing.

Amber's stomach twisted. “Who…?”

Before she could step closer, the figure stirred, a weak hand reaching out. Dirt and blood smeared across a familiar face.

Shilo.

“They…they’re coming…” she gasped, wide eyed. Amber knelt beside her.

“We need to…find graves,” Shilo whispered, voice strained. “He… knows what to do.”

Luigi's eyes narrowed as he scanned the room, ”That bastard…what’s he gonna do?”

Amber’s eyes caught a glint of something in the corner, boxes of tools, broken furniture, even a few discarded weapons. Perfect.

“Not without protection,” she said, grabbing a heavy pipe and passing another to Shilo.

Shilo leaned against her, trembling, but alert. We have to move…before it’s too late.”

Amber nodded, gripping the pipe tighter. Pavi was still out there somewhere, and now, more than ever, they had to find Graverobber.

Chapter Text

The broken pipe trembled in Amber’s hand, her knuckles bone, white. The hallway ahead reeked of rot and when the first figure lurched into the light but she didn’t hesitate and she swung hard.

Another lurched forward. Luigi darted in, knife flashing burying the blade into its throat with a vicious growl. Shilo gasped but steadied herself, raising her own pipe as a third creature dragged itself closer, fingers clawing across the floor.

The fight was messy, brutal, loud. By the time the last corpse slumped still, Amber's hands were shaking from the weight of the blows
But she refused to let it show. The air felt thick with the copper tang of blood.

Shilo stood her ground, her pipe still raised.
“That was too close. And there’s more-I heard them down the hall.” Her voice carried clearer this time sharp over the alarms.

“Then we Keep moving” Luigi said, already kicking one of the bodies aside. “These bastards don’t stay down forever.”

Amber nodded, adjusting her grip. She ignored the deep ache gnawing at her shoulder. “We need something better than this.” She shook the bent pipe in her hand. The end was slick with blood and already dented from the blows.

Shilo glanced at her own weapon, then back at Amber. “You’re right. These won’t last. We need something that won’t snap the second things get ugly.”

Luigi let out a large sigh of frustration. “No kidding! We need real weapons, not sticks and metal scraps!”

The building groaned around them as somewhere nearby, glass shattered and something heavy toppled to the floor. The echoes crawled through the corridors like a warning.

“Fuck” Luigi hissed, his body shifting as he assessed the hall. “Looks like they’re not done with us yet.”

Shilo led the way down the basement stairs pipe ready, eyes sharp. Amber and Luigi followed keeping close.

“Wait” Amber said. “Why are you here, Shilo? And what’s Graves got to do with all this?”

“Not now,” Shilo replied, “we talk when we’re safe. Just follow me.”

Amber frowned but didn’t push it. Luigi muttered something under his breath and tightened his grip on the knife.

The basement smelled like blood and damp concrete. Bodies of guards lay crumbled by the walls guns still strapped to their sides.

Luigi knelt beside one, yanking a pistol from its holster. “Finally something useful.”

Amber grabbed a rifle from another, checking the chamber with steady hands. “Better than pipes.”

Shilo hesitated then pulled a handgun from the corpse's grip. She held it tight. jaw set.

For a moment, the three of them stood there armed and breathing hard. Then the groans started echoing again, closer this timee.

The groans grew louder as the zombies surged from the corners. Amber swung her rifle the crack of the barrel echoing off the walls. Luigi fired his pistol in quick bursts, taking two down before another shuffled forward.

Shilo moved between them steadily and sharply. “This way! Stairs!”

The hall shook with crashes and screams. The floor was slick, every step threatening to drag them down but Shilo never slowed pace

The three of them sprinted, guns blazing, fire licking the walls, the chaos closing in from every direction.

The burn in her shoulder flared again, her steps faltering for half a second.

“Don’t slow down now” Shilo snapped, hauling her toward the stairwell.

Luigi shot a glance over his shoulder, “she’s dragging. Keep her moving!”

Amber bit back the urge to snap at them. They didn’t see the truth. They couldn’t.

“Keep moving! Almost there!” Shilo glanced at her, eyebrows raised but silent.

The zombie horde pressed closer, groans growing deafening. Amber swung at one that lunged, her timing off and she cursed under her breath as another grazed her side. The pain from the bite pulsating, a sharp reminder that this wasn’t just exhaustion, her body was reacting.

Finally the stairwell loomed ahead. Amber's step faltered, a sharp breath tearing from her throat. Luigi’s hand shot out, steadying her by the elbow, grip firm but not gentle.

“You’re moving slower than usual,” he grunted.

Shilo reached the top first and glanced back offering a hand. “Here, take it if you need,” she said her voice steady but not harsh.

Amber forced her shoulders straight, swallowing the ache in her chest “Thanks. I’m fine.”

Once they reached the upper corridor, she leaned against the wall, gripping her gun tighter than necessary. The adrenaline kept her standing, but her pulse thundered, hot and erratic, and she could feel something inside her shifting, warning her that the bite was changing everything.

A flaming beam suddenly crashed from above, sending sparks across the corridor. Luigi shoved both Amber and Shilo to the sidefiring at the nearest threat.

The basement exit loomed ahead, the stairwell finally leading outside. She stumbled but caught herself against a wall, breath ragged. Shilo was already at the door checking the perimeter. “Quick. out here, now!”

They burst into the open, the night air biting at their skin. The cityscape was wrecked, smoke rising from the distant fires. Only when their feet hit solid ground did Amber allow herself a moment to register the relatively safety.

“We’re not out of this yet, but at least we can breathe…a little.” Luigi muttered, pistol raised, He exhaled sharply roughly, trying to shake off the carnage behind them.

He noticed Shilo gesturing toward a crumbling building. “That way” She said “Graverobber is inside. He knows what to do.”

Amber's chest tightened. Graves. The thought brought a strange mix of relief and tension she couldn’t quite name. She had to find him, had to trust him, and yet a flicker of something more stirred in her chest. Her pulse hammered, survival first. Graverobber second. And maybe…just maybe she realised with a small, private jolt, she didn’t entirely hate that second part.

Chapter Text

The hall smelled of smoke and metal, Amber stumbled through the rubble, her chest felt tight and her head buzzing. The infection was making her feel hot, shaky, like she couldn’t quite think straight.

Shilo was slightly ahead, waving them on and trying to be as quiet as possible. “He should be just behind this door…try and be careful.” She whispered.

Luigi gave a quick nod and gripped his knife a little tighter. “Finally. About time we found him.”

A faint shuffle came from behind the door, like someone dragging their feet. The group hesitated only for a moment before moving as one, ready to finally get some answers.

Shilo nudged the door open just enough to slip inside, motioning for Luigi to follow. The room was a mess, papers and furniture were scattered across the floor. The mysterious, grungy man sat in the corner catching his breath. His gaze flickered to Amber first, a flicker of concern crossing his features.

“Well you finally made it,” he said his voice was calm but weary. “Thought I might have to handle things on my own.”

Shilo leaned against the wall, her handgun hovering in her hand. “We ran into a few things on the way but it’s fine. Let’s focus on what comes next.”

Luigi let out a low breath and slumped against the wall. “Alright, alright. Fill us in then. What’s the plan now?”

From the rubble of the hallway a familiar figure stumbled into view. It was Pavi. Dirt and dust clung to his once pristine clothes and he looked every bit as exhausted as they felt.

“There you are…we’ve been trying to find you.” Amber let her tone carry a hint of relief though she kept it steady, not letting herself get too soft.

“Finally decided to show up, huh?” Luigi snapped, his tone sharp. “Took you long enough. Were you having a fucking coffee break or something?”

“I-ah…made it. Took…longer than I-a thought .”

Graves turned back toward the others, his expression unreadable though a hint of dry amusement tugged at his mouth. “I found him trapped under some rubble with Genterns that had changed closing in. They almost got him but I guess I got there just in time. After that, I had him take care of some of the others.”

Pavi sagged against the wall, wiping his hands “I-a barely made it out, they-a almost got me…then-a I had to- to do what he said.”

His hand went to his face, wincing. “They ripped half of poor Pavi’s face” he said, a weak smile tugging at his lips. “Am I-a at least still-a beautiful, or should i-a start-a crying?”

Luigi rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Beautiful? Christ, you’ve been torn up!”

Pavi waved a hand dramatically. “Ah , but it-a adds character, no? Makes me more…daring!”

Amber’s muscles felt sluggish and her every step made her legs scream, she was surprised she had even gotten this far. She had to tell someone soon.

Graverobber’s eyes found hers, a flicker of worry there. “You holding up okay?”

She rubbed her arm where the bite itched and gnawed at her skin but still she kept it hidden. “Yeah, I- I just need a second-“ her words faltered and a wave of dizziness hit. She gritted her teeth and shook it off, hoping no one would notice. Survival first.

Luigi snorted, pacing a step closer. “we need answers. what the hell’s going on?” He gestured to Graverobber.

Amber nodded and forced herself to focus on their words despite the pounding in her head. “Yeah, just tell us what we need to know. I can handle the rest later.”

He sunk into one of the old chairs, rubbing his temples “this…all started with a new strain of Zydrate. It’s different from what we’ve seen before.”

Amber frowned “different how?”

Shilo stepped forward. “It’s been going on for a while…underground. No one outside knew.”

Amber ran a hand over her forehead, trying to steady herself. “And how do you two fucking know this and not us?”

Pavi groaned, slumping against the wall. “Ah, I-a just got here and I-a barely keep-a up with all-a this.”

The impatient Luigi snorted as he paced a step closer. “Unbelievable.”

Graverobbers expression darkened. “I saw something I shouldn’t have. Another worker was handling a different type of Zydrate. It wasn’t the usual stuff, it was something new and something dangerous.”

“Wait, so one of our workers is handling a different kind of Zydrate?” Amber snapped.

Shilo stepped in. “We only found out when we followed him. He spotted us and we had to hide, but while we were stuck there we saw everything…how the new Zydrate was being handled.

“Great so you two just let this happen under our noses?” Luigi’s voice was tight his frustration bubbling.

“We’ll explain more later. Right now, we need a plan.” Graverobber said.

Ambers felt a knot tighten in her gut. “Wait, why were you there with him? How did you even find out about this?” She turned to look at Shilo.

Shilo crossed her arms and she glanced at graves for a second, “I stayed away at first. I didn’t want any part of it, but when he told me what was happening…I couldn’t just walk away.”

Luigi ran a hand through his hair. “And you kept quiet! How are we supposed to trust anything if we’re hearing it now?”

“For crying out loud let him speak”

Graverobber’s gaze flicked between them. He shook his head slightly. “Everybody would’ve panicked if we said anything too soon. Figuring it out first was the only way to keep anyone alive.”

“Brilliant job you done with that huh,this fucking disaster!” Luigi growled.

Amber's head spun and the room seemed to tilt. Her stomach churned and her head throbbed. Despite her best efforts, she tried to focus on their words, but it was no use.

Shilo frowned and stepped closer. Luigi’s brow furrowed, he noticed her wavering stance. “you okay?” He asked, his voice cautious. Amber forced a tight nod. She tried to steady herself but the room blurred around the edges, just enough for her to stumble.

Her knees buckled before graves could reach her. He caught her just in time before she could hit the ground. She blinked rapidly, trying to force herself upright, though her body refused to listen.

He steadied her in his arms while Shilo dropped to one knee beside them. “She’s burning up. Something’s really wrong.”

Graves moved closer, his voice low and urgent “she’s hiding something. I can feel it, this isn’t just fatigue.”

Amber tried to shake her head, to try and say she was fine but the words caught in her throat. Her vision blurred and darkness crept in at the edges like the world itself was folding in on her.

Then her body went limp in his arms.

Luigi’s eyes darted to the silhouettes of building beyond the broken doorway. “We can’t stay here,” he muttered.

A low unnatural growl echoed from the depths of the hall, followed by another, then another. The sound crawled closer.

Amber’s fainted form rested heavily against Graverobber. No one moved, every second stretched and somewhere deep in the abyss something was coming.