Hive (Alternate)

The Hive were an ancient race of beings that resided on Earth before humanity. With evidence stolen from the Shadows of Darkness, the most intelligent of the Hive were the Graveminds, leading and having control over all of the other Hive species, such as the Hunters, Guardians, and Overlords.

During the last Ice Age, many Hive froze to death due to the cold and only some entered hibernation, only to be recovered by Shadows of Darkness millions of years later.

They were worshiped by the Shadows of Darkness as the true dominate species on Earth rather than humans, though the Shadows were human. The Hive's most dangerous considered species are the Nevermore, large bird-like creatures able to survive underwater and fly above ground.

With the rising of the Infected on May 27th, 2017, the Master Shadow of the Shadows of Darkness was notified through an Infected dank form that the Awakening of the Hive was beginning and that he needed to help in weakening whatever was left of Earth's superpowers, including the Surviving States of America and the Red Star Federation. On August 29th, 2017, a Hive Overlord had awoken in the Hive Temple in Europe, recalling all Hive to its location for the Great Journey. The Infected also seem to be under the control of the Hive as a Hive Overlord can summon dank forms and order Infected Runners to overwhelm a target.

Hive Gravemind
Graveminds are told to be the ultimate and de facto leaders of the Hive. They are extremely intelligent and can order all other Hive species, having complete control of the Hive under their command. However during the Ice Age, all of the Hive Graveminds froze to death due to the cold temperatures.

With the Awakening of the Hive in 2017, one Gravemind was going to be resurrected in a Hive Temple by a Hive Overlord with the help of the Shadows of Darkness.

Hive Nevermore
Nevermore are the considered to be the most dangerous Hive species, even more than Graveminds as they were described to be "large bird-like creatures able to go underwater and fly above ground with their massive wings." They are also the largest known Hive creatures with a lot more being told larger than these ones.

During the Ice Age, many Nevermore, like the Graveminds, froze to death, however only some of them were frozen in ice and later recovered by Shadows of Darkness two million years later and brought to their deep-water facility in the Mariana Trench.

Hive Overlord
Overlords are considered somewhat second-in-commands to the Graveminds as one Overlord is always at the side of a Gravemind before their deaths during the Ice Age. Like Graveminds, Overlords can order around other Hive species. They are the second most intelligent species of the Hive.

During the Ice Age, Overlords froze to death with one entering hibernation underground, from all the ice and cold temperatures. During the Awakening of the Hive, an Overlord was to resurrect his Gravemind master and complete the Great Journey.

Hive Guardian
Guardians are the protectors of the Graveminds and Overlords, they are most armoured Hive and are ordered around by Overlords and Graveminds. Guardians are considered to be humanoid gorilla-like creatures with less intelligence than an Infected dank form.

Many, if not all, Guardians froze to death during the Ice Age two million years before the Awakening of the Hive.

Hive Hunter
Hunters are the most common Hive species and are used as cannon fodder by Overlords and Graveminds. They are the less intelligent Hive species, ranking just under the Guardians. Hunters seem to be werewolf-like creatures with armoured plates protecting their bodies but having an exposed under-belly.

The Hunters were the only Hive to survive the Ice Age as their bodies were adaptive to extreme climates. However, they were hunted down by many predators and early humans as time went on.

Trivia

 * The Hive are based on the Flood from the Halo Universe.