108 Years After the Apocalypse
It was a rainy day in a small town called Gisfield. The sky was gray, and raindrops could be seen trickling down the edges of shop roofs and houses.
Cough, cough… Cham Cham coughed as he curled up next to a giant, black garbage bin, clutching a trash bag. All he could see was a dark alley surrounded by old stone-walled buildings and wet, muddy ground.
I'm hungry… so hungry… he thought to himself, trying to stay awake.
Suddenly, through the falling rain, a weak voice could be heard calling his name—
"Cham Cham, Cham Cham! Where are you?"
Cham Cham was too weak to answer, yet the child calling for him didn't stop until he could hear someone approaching.
A heavy sigh sounded. "There you are… You had me worried."
Tim, breathless, his face wet and his clothes tattered, extended a slice of bread toward Cham Cham.
"What about you? Aren't you hungry?" he asked in a faint voice.
"Don't worry. It's the big brother's job to take care of his little brother," he said proudly.
Tim moved closer to Cham Cham and squeezed under the black plastic bag beside the garbage bin, curling up next to him to stay warm.
"Tim, do you think we'll ever have a cabin of our own?" he asked with a weak voice.
"Of course! One day, we'll have our own place, with our own friends, our own clothes, and our own food. We won't have to worry about anything, I'm telling you!" his words were filled with determination, though there was a faint glimmer of doubt behind them.
The next day, the rain had stopped.
People walked down the street, shops bustled with food and clothing sales, housewives folded their laundry, and men set off for work.
Only Tim and Cham Cham still slept…
"Hey, who are these kids?"
"How should I know? What do I look like, a mind reader? Just get rid of them."
"Agh! Let me go! Tim! Tim!"
Tim woke to the sound of his brother screaming for help.
He saw Cham Cham struggling against an older man wielding a club.
"Let me go! I didn't do anything! Let me go!!"
The man sneered. "Oh, shut up already!"
He swung the club at Cham Cham, sending him crashing into the wall. His face hit the ground hard, his nose broke, and several teeth fell out.
Tim ran to his brother.
"Cham Cham! Wake up! Cham Cham!!"
But there was no response.
Cham Cham had lost consciousness.
When he woke up, all he saw were trails of blood on the ground, and Tim, bruised and bloodied, his nose broken.
"Tim! Are you okay?" Cham Cham's voice cracked as he started crying.
"I always cause you trouble! You should just leave me behind!" he sobbed.
Tim burst into laughter.
"Don't worry. It's my job. I'm the big brother, that's what big brothers do," he said proudly, straightening up.
"Are you sure you're okay?" his voice was filled with worry.
"I said I'm fine, so don't worry. Come on, we're going to Lilian's clinic now."
"But Tim, you know I hate Lilian! She always makes me do chores for her!" he grumbled.
"She gives us chores instead of making us pay.
Now come on, I know you're in pain, and so am I.
We need her help, so stop acting like a baby," he ordered.
Cham Cham sighed and walked alongside Tim, supporting each other as they made their way forward.
The clinic was a small wooden cabin on the edge of town. A sign on the door read: Lilian's Clinic – Welcome!
Around it stood tall, green trees, and by the door were flowers and various medicinal plants.
Tim and Cham Cham approached the door.
Tim knocked three weak knocks.
Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman dressed in an old brown dress.
Her face was wrinkled, and her gray hair was tied back.
"Oh my! What happened to you two?! Come in, come in, my dears! I'll take care of you right away!" Her voice was a mixture of shock and concern.
Tim and Cham Cham entered the small but modest cabin.
It had only the bare necessities, a single bedroom, a small bathroom, and instead of a kitchen, a corner dedicated to alchemy, lined with cabinets full of medicinal herbs, potions, and bandages.
"Thank you, Miss Lilian," Tim said.
"Say it too," he whispered to Cham Cham irritably.
"Thank you, Miss Lilian…" he muttered, his reluctance evident in his tone.
"Forget the pleasantries! You're in terrible shape.
Get on the couch, and I'll tend to your wounds," she said, still worried.
She went to the cabinets, gathering bandages and herbs.
An hour passed…
"How could anyone do this to children?! There's no shame left in this town…!" she grumbled angrily, looking at the two boys sleeping side by side.
As night fell, loud knocks pounded against the door.
Boom boom!
Boom boom!
Lilian, who had been reading a book, got up and shuffled to the door.
"Just a moment! I'm coming!" she called.
As she opened the door, she saw four men standing in the darkness of the night, each holding a different weapon, some clubs, others knives.
"Excuse me? Can I help you with something?" she asked, trying to remain calm despite the fear in her voice.
One of the men growled, "Hand over the kids if you don't want to get hurt, now!"
"Of course, sir… Just a moment, please," she replied, forcing a polite tone.
The man spat on the ground. "Hurry up!" he barked angrily.
Lilian slammed the door shut and locked it.
The man cursed, then shouted, "What are you waiting for?! Break down the door, then deal with the old hag! Get those kids, NOW!!" His voice dripped with fury.
Lilian ran to the room where Tim and Cham Cham slept.
"Wake up, boys! Hurry, wake up!"
Tim stirred. "Miss Lilian? What's wrong?"
"Tim, wake your brother and leave through the back door! Quickly!"
Tim looked into her eyes, he could see the sheer terror in them.
He got up and shook Cham Cham awake. "Cham Cham, get up! We have to go!"
"Already? Just a few more minutes…" he grumbled sleepily.
Tim smacked him lightly on the head.
"Ugh, fine! I'm up! But why? What's going on?"
A loud crash sounded at the front door.
Boom!
Lilian panicked.
"Go, now! Tim, I'll stall them.
Take Cham Cham and RUN!" Her voice was scared but filled with determination.
She walked to the door.
"Sir, please, leave my house.
There's no need for this. If it's money you want, just name your price..."
A man struck her and threw her aside while the others stormed in, wrecking the cabin, searching for Tim and Cham Cham.
Tim clenched his fists. Please, Miss Lilian, be okay…
He grabbed Cham Cham's hand and led him toward the forest.
From behind them, Lilian's agonized screams echoed through the night…
"Miss Lilian! Tim, we have to go back! Something happened to Miss Lilian!" Cham Cham's voice was filled with worry and fear, tears welling up in his eyes.
"You always said you hated Miss Lilian, so no—we have to keep moving." Tim's voice trembled, but he couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of Cham Cham…
Suddenly, from a distance, they heard a man shouting—
"Hey, you little bastards! I see you! Come back now, or the old lady dies!" The man's voice was furious and threatening. Beside him, Lilian lay on the ground, her clothes torn, her body battered, blood streaking her face…
Cham Cham collapsed to the ground, his legs frozen in place.
"Tim…" he stammered, "I… what? Why?! Why?! Tim, do something!" His voice was desperate, his tears streaming down uncontrollably. He struggled to breathe, his stomach twisting with fear.
Tim, at his limit, took a deep breath.
"Cham Cham, I want you to run. Don't look back. I'll go help Lilian, okay?" His voice was just as desperate, but his expression had turned deadly.
"No! I don't want to leave! I want to stay!"
"Cham Cham, go! Right now! Or I'll never forgive you! Now!" his voice was cold and commanding.
Cham Cham got to his feet and started moving toward the forest, sobbing, barely able to walk.
Tim, Lilian… please be okay… please…
118 Years After the Apocalypse
"Tich, are you okay?" Jonan asked in a worried voice as he looked at Tich, whose eyes were filled with tears.
What? It was just a dream?!
Tich let out a big sigh...
I'm fine, Jonan. Everything's fine… Sorry for waking you up. Good night."
Jonan sighed. "Good night, Tich. Don't worry,you won't be alone tomorrow…"
Tich and Jonan went back to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would mark their first mission as knights of House Sylthrone.
Their mission: to eliminate Krizface!