Night had fallen over the crumbling city, painting the ruins in dark blues and shadows. On a rooftop of a half-collapsed building, Jeff crouched, muscles tense, gripping a pair of binoculars. Beside him, Carla sat, clutching their baby daughter, Clara, tightly to her chest. Her eyes darted nervously across the darkened streets below.
Jeff scanned the forest that spread like a black ocean beyond the ruined city, voice low, urgent.
Jeff: There's no food left. We have to get to Outpost 17… now.
Carla: How? We can't just walk in there like nothing's wrong. You saw those monsters out there… we'll be eaten alive.
Jeff: I know… but staying here isn't an option. We need a safe place.
A distant explosion ripped through the silence, a bright flash briefly illuminating the ruins. Jeff snapped his eyes to the forest. He lifted the binoculars and froze.
Jeff: Shit… how did they get here?
Through the trees, he could see Adrik, Draxil, Lyra, and Lior, unconscious and surrounded by slow-shuffling zombies. Their groans echoed faintly in the night, a chilling sound that made Carla shiver.
Carla: What… what's happening? Is there—
Jeff: Just stay here. Stay safe… for me. I'll come back.
Carla: Please… don't go alone! Plea—
Jeff: Shh… I promise. I'll be back.
He moved like a shadow, slipping from the rooftop, closing the door behind him with a soft click that barely echoed in the silence.
Chrono Guardianz
Episode 2: The Broken World
Jeff swung his spiked baseball bat with all the strength in his body, taking down zombie after zombie. Their rotting hands clawed at him, but he twisted, ducked, and kicked with the desperate precision of someone who knew failure meant death. He could see the horde inching closer to Adrik and the others, and his chest tightened.
With a sudden burst of determination, Jeff sprinted toward a rusted, abandoned car. He yanked open the trunk and slammed the alarm. The piercing sound shattered the quiet night. Every zombie in the area turned toward him, drawn like moths to a flame. Jeff knew he couldn't fight them all at once.
Then he caught sight of Carla, eyes wide, hand over her mouth, clutching Clara.
Jeff: I won't give up. I'll fight until my last breath.
The scene shifted to the others. Lior groaned, rubbing his temple, slowly regaining consciousness.
Lior: Ugh… my head… where am I?
He scanned the chaos, shock freezing him. Zombies closed in, but at the center, Jeff swung his bat like a whirlwind of destruction. Lior didn't hesitate. He summoned his staff, the diamond at its tip glowing brightly.
Lior: Freeze.
He slammed the staff into the ground. Ice spread like liquid silver, encasing most of the zombies instantly. Jeff blinked at him, awe and confusion in his eyes. A few zombies slipped through the freezing spell, charging straight at Lior. He tried to summon a shield, but they were too fast. They lunged, snapping. Lior kicked them back just in time, and Jeff lunged, smashing one zombie's skull with his bat.
Lior: Thanks.
He slammed the staff lightly again, shattering the frozen zombies into icy fragments. Jeff glanced at him, admiration clear. Carla stepped behind him, holding Clara close, eyes wide with a mix of fear and hope.
Later, Adrik lay asleep, clutching Draxil's hand. Draxil and Lyra sat by a small fire, alert, scanning the shadows.
Adrik: I… I love you, Lyra… will you marry me… I… mmm—
A sharp smack to the face startled him awake.
Draxil: Wakey wakey! Sorry, bro, but now's not the time for romance.
Adrik: Wha—why?
He blinked at the dead zombie lying beside him. Panic surged, and he screamed—but Lyra's hand pressed gently over his mouth.
Lyra: Shhh. Are you trying to get us all killed, idiot?
Adrik froze, warmth from her touch grounding him. She returned to sit by Lior, while Draxil and Adrik exchanged wary looks before joining them.
Adrik: What's going on? Why is there a dead… thing? I almost died!
Jeff: Well… that's a zombie.
Draxil: Zombie? You're serious?
Adrik: Zombie?
Lior: How did they even get here? And where do you all live?
Jeff: We… we used to live in one of the Outposts. There are five: Outpost 17, 25, 117, 306, and 101.
Adrik: Whoa… five outposts? That's actually cool. What's an Outpost?
Jeff: A place humans can live without zombies… high walls, some safety… but life inside isn't perfect.
Lyra: So why are you here instead of there?
Jeff: We were in Outpost 25. It got overrun. Zombies broke in. We barely escaped…
Lior: Then you need to get to the next Outpost. Where's that?
Jeff: Outpost 17… not too far. But it's dangerous. Inside, there are humans who've turned into monsters. I can't raise my daughter there.
Lyra: Maybe stay there a few days, then move again?
Jeff: We can't fight them…
Draxil: But we can. We'll help you.
Jeff and Carla exchanged a hopeful glance.
Jeff: Really?
Draxil: Yep. Why not?
Jeff: Thank you… I—
Lior: Ugh… sorry, I didn't catch your names.
Jeff: Jeff. This is Carla, my wife. And our daughter, Clara.
Lior: Nice to meet you, Jeff.
Jeff: I… I didn't understand the stuff about the future, the portal…
Lior: Ugh, I'm terrible at explaining.
Lyra: Don't worry. We're from 3053. My brother wanted to see dinosaurs, so we built a time machine—and then two idiots ruined it.
Draxil & Adrik: Hey, we are not—
Lyra: Idiots.
Later, the group walked along a deserted highway, moonlight spilling over abandoned cars scattered across the cracked asphalt. Lyra and Lior led the way. Jeff held Clara carefully, Carla close behind him. Draxil and Adrik brought up the rear, scanning for threats.
Lyra: Zombies. I hear footsteps. We need to kill them to move forward.
Draxil slammed a car alarm. Zombies rose from behind the vehicles, groaning, shuffling, advancing.
Lyra: What the—why did you do that?
Draxil: I thought it'd make us look badass.
Lior: Well… ask first before doing anything.
Adrik: Maybe we can be badass… by beating their asses.
Draxil: Exactly what I said.
Lyra: Idiots…
Lior: Big sis… maybe I should stay behind you.
Lyra: Yep. Always behind me.
The zombies charged. Adrik summoned his sword, Draxil his twin blades, Lyra's chained blades spun with deadly precision, and Lior raised his glowing staff. Jeff stayed back, holding Clara, watching the night erupt with screams and chaos as the first wave clashed with the defenders.
TO BE CONTINUED