At night, the scene opened to a massive wall, towering nearly fifty meters high, enclosing a vast area. At the very center was a large pond, its waters reflecting the dim glow of moonlight. Around the pond stood clusters of small houses forming a village, and beyond them stretched wide farmland. Encircling it all was the colossal wall itself, lined with electric wiring and dotted with glowing lights that shimmered faintly against the darkness. This place was known as Outpost 17.
Inside the walls, three men lingered together. Beside the pond sat a rough-looking man, his expression twisted in boredom and frustration. He picked up a stone, tossing it into the water with a loud splash before standing and trudging through the narrow streets that wound between the houses.
Rocco (grumbling): Man… life in this shithole sucks. I wanna go outside already.
Jett (raising a brow): Already? You're restless as ever.
The third man, standing a little apart from them, remained silent. He calmly lit a cigarette, the orange glow briefly illuminating his hardened features as he inhaled the smoke, ignoring their conversation.
Jett (glancing at him): Colt? Do you think the people from Outpost 25 will really come here? I heard they got attacked. Maybe we can make some money off it.
Colt (exhaling slowly): …Let's see if they come or not.
Rocco (snorting): Money? I don't care about that. If I see any pretty woman, I'm taking her and—
Rocco's words stopped short when both he and Jett froze. Their eyes locked on a figure sitting quietly on the ground in a narrow street. A young girl. Her clothes were tattered, her face smudged with dirt. She sat hunched with her arms wrapped around her knees. A beggar.
Rocco and Jett exchanged a silent glance, then both looked at Colt as though asking for approval. Colt scoffed, blowing out smoke.
Colt (coldly): Fine. Do what you want. But take her somewhere else—under the bridge, or somewhere people won't see. Enjoy yourselves.
Without another glance, Colt turned and walked away, leaving the two behind. Rocco's lips curled into a wicked grin, and Jett's followed soon after as they began moving toward the girl.
Rocco quickly pulled out a small spray can and blasted something into the girl's face. She gasped softly before her eyes rolled shut, her body collapsing limply to the ground.
Rocco (grinning): Man… she's damn good. Let's go before someone else sees.
Jett nodded silently. Together, they lifted her—Rocco holding her arms while Jett took her legs—and hurried off down the street.
Meanwhile, Colt was still walking alone, his cigarette dangling from his lips. He let out a deep sigh and glanced up at the night sky, his eyes cold and empty.
Colt (to himself): Brats. Always chasing after girls.
The scene shifted back to the unconscious girl being carried away. Her lips trembled faintly as though murmuring in her sleep.
Liza (whispering faintly): Please… help… My mom is starving… Please… leave me…
Rocco (snickering): We will—after the fun. I've always wanted to have some fun with you… Liza.
Even though her eyes were shut, a tear slipped down her cheek, falling silently to the ground below.
Chrono Guardianz
Episode 3: The Real Monsters
As dawn broke, the sun's rays revealed a road littered with the mangled corpses of countless zombies. Dried blood stained the earth, and the metallic scent of battle still hung heavy in the air. Walking through this grisly sight were Draxil, Adrik, Lyra, Lior, and Jeff with his family.
Jeff (in awe): You all… you've reached another level of power. You killed hundreds of zombies. Even our military couldn't handle this much.
Adrik (smirking): Yep. We're far stronger. No one can beat us.
Draxil (grinning wide): Damn right. We're number one.
The two brothers, Adrik and Draxil, wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders, laughing and giving a proud thumbs-up. Their bright energy made Jeff and Carla chuckle softly, though little Clara remained asleep in Jeff's arms.
Eventually, they reached the towering gates of Outpost 17. Jeff stepped forward and knocked firmly against the massive door. After a moment, a small window hatch slid open, revealing the cold, unfeeling eyes of a guard staring back at them.
Guard (flatly): Who are you?
Jeff (pleading): Sir, we lost our homeland—Outpost 25. Please, let us in. We haven't eaten for days. We have a child with us.
Guard (unmoved): So? There's no entry for outsiders.
Jeff (desperately): Sir, please. Show us mercy. We have nowhere else to go, nothing left to eat.
The guard's eyes flickered toward the group. Behind Jeff, Draxil clenched his fists, his temper flaring at the man's heartless tone.
Adrik (quickly): Calm down, Draxil. If we fight now, Jeff and his family won't get inside.
Draxil exhaled sharply, clearly still fuming but forcing himself to hold back. Finally, the guard gave a reluctant nod and allowed them entry. Once inside, each of them was checked thoroughly for bites. Finding none, they were permitted through.
But what awaited them was not safety—it was another kind of hell.
Inside the outpost, men loitered everywhere. Some sat smoking, others guzzled bottles of alcohol, and many had the look of predators eyeing their prey. As Jeff's group walked past, the men's voices rose, mocking and jeering.
Guy 1 (mocking): Look, we've got some fresh guests.
Guy 2 (whistling): Whoa… check out the hot chicks.
Guy 3 (laughing): Don't piss them off too much or they'll attack us! Ahahaha!
Guy 1 (sneering): Heroes, huh? More like lost fools. But I can see a princess among them.
Lyra's jaw tightened, and Carla's face twisted in disgust. Jeff gently covered Clara's ears even as she slept, shielding her from the vile words. Draxil's teeth ground together, rage boiling, while even Adrik's calm demeanor shattered.
Adrik (muttering): If it weren't for Jeff, I'd kill them where they stand.
Draxil (darkly): I'd slice them into pieces so small they'd beg for death.
Lior (nervous, stepping in): Calm down… No—sorry, I mean… you're both older than me, but… please, we don't need chaos here. Just a few days. Then we leave.
Draxil (snorting, but softening slightly): Call me Draxil. His name's Adrik.
Lior (relieved): Th-thank you. Just… please, hold on for now.
They nodded reluctantly, following the others deeper into the settlement. Soon, the noise and hostility faded, replaced by a surprising calm. On the far side of the wall stretched farmland, where villagers worked quietly and peacefully.
Together, they searched for shelter until they spotted a small hotel. The warm aroma of fresh bread drifted out, making their stomachs ache with hunger. Entering, they sat at a table, greeted by a kind old woman who approached with a gentle smile.
Granny (softly): Welcome, dears. What would you like to order?
Jeff (hesitant): Something for lunch… We haven't eaten in days.
The granny's smile deepened, and soon she returned with plates of steaming food. Her husband followed, carrying more dishes, both of them setting everything down with care. But Jeff hesitated, lowering his eyes.
Jeff (apologetic): I'm sorry… but we can't accept this much. We don't have enough money. Truly, I'm sorry.
The granny chuckled softly and stroked Jeff's hair.
Granny (kindly): It's alright, sweetie. Even the little one is hungry.
Everyone turned to look at Clara, who had woken and was already reaching for the bread on the table. The granny laughed warmly.
Granny: Well, it seems someone has already begun lunch.
Their attention then shifted to Draxil and Adrik, who were already shoveling food into their mouths as though competing in a race.
Adrik (choking): Mmf—!
Draxil (panicked): Nooo!
Draxil thumped Adrik's back until he stopped choking, and the two continued devouring the food. Lyra and Lior sighed in unison while the others smiled.
Granny (smiling): Don't worry about money. Food is a gift from the gods. Why should we hoard what was given freely? If you still want to repay me… repay me with time. That's all. But first, eat as much as you can.
They all smiled warmly and began eating with gratitude.
Later, after the meal, Jeff approached the counter where the granny stood, while her husband happily washed dishes in the kitchen.
Jeff (respectfully): Ma'am… is there anywhere for us to stay? Just for a few days, please.
Granny (thoughtful, then smiling): There's no hotel, but… three rooms upstairs are empty. You may use them. You said just a few days, yes? They're not perfect, but they'll do.
Jeff (relieved): Thank you. Thank you so much. I've never met anyone this kind. And—
Granny (gently cutting him off): Shh. It's simply our duty to help the poor. And now, it's yours too.
Jeff nodded, his heart heavy with gratitude. They moved upstairs, dividing the rooms—Jeff's family in one, Lyra and Lior in another, and Draxil with Adrik in the last.
By evening, they all worked to repay the kindness. Jeff helped the granny at the counter, Lyra and Carla delivered food, while Draxil and Adrik competed to see who could chop wood faster. Lior gathered and stacked the pieces neatly. Clara slept peacefully upstairs.
As the sun dipped, the family sat together, laughter filling the air as the granny and her husband played with Clara, her giggles ringing out like bells.
Jeff (serious): Tomorrow, we'll buy what we need and get ready to leave.
Carla (worried): Yes, but… I'm scared. Those people here… they make me feel so uncomfortable.
Jeff (reassuring): I know, but—
Draxil (firmly): They won't touch you. I promise.
Adrik (nodding): Yeah. If they try, we'll tear them apart.
Carla relaxed slightly, comforted. Lyra squeezed her hand gently, easing her fears.
Meanwhile, back on the darker side of the outpost, Colt stood by a window, silently smoking. His phone rang, and he answered without hesitation.
Colt (low voice): Yeah. I heard it. Four males, two females, and one child. Hm.
He hung up, stepping out of the room. As the door shut, the camera revealed the interior—blood splattered across the walls, corpses of men and women strewn across the floor. These weren't zombies, but humans.
One man, barely alive, tried to crawl desperately toward the door. Colt turned, his expression unchanging. Without a word, he raised his boot and stomped down hard on the man's skull. The sound was fast, brutal, and sickeningly messy. Bone and blood exploded across the floor. Colt didn't even flinch as he walked away.
TO BE CONTINUED