Gail, who had also come from the future, was both surprised and delighted. He asked Edward, "When did you come here?"
As Edward guided Gail through the dense, ancient forest towards the tribe, he replied, "From a future where humanity was on the brink of extinction. No cities or civilizations remained on Earth. Everything had been destroyed by the alien creatures' invasion."
The forest was alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their calls echoing through the towering trees. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting an ethereal glow on the moss-covered ground.
Gail, realizing that Edward lived in a time after his own, was deeply troubled by the dark future Edward described. He wanted to learn more about the future. The more he knew, the better he could change the past to create a better future. So, he asked Edward, "Which race attacked Earth?"
Edward, burdened with sorrow, said, "The serpent race attacked Earth. They saw humans as the pets of the Anunnaki, whom they were enemies with, and tried to destroy Earth. They also discovered that Earth had powerful resources called mana, which could help them greatly."
Worried about his city, Gail asked, "Do you know anything about Neo Eden? What was its condition?"
Edward replied, "Neo Eden was completely destroyed. Since the Serpents were mostly in this area, I decided to travel there."
Gail asked in surprise, "Why? You should have been fleeing from the enemy!"
Edward responded, "No, I wasn't looking to escape the Serpents. I was seeking revenge. The war they imposed on us took all my loved ones from me. So, I took up arms and spent a long time collecting a large amount of explosives. I then transported them with difficulty to Neo Eden to kill as many Serpents as possible. I secretly approached the mana mine, where most of them were present. Suddenly, the system activated. It asked me to blow up the mine. At first, I didn't know what the system was, but its quest aligned with my goal. Blowing up the mine meant killing many Serpents. Additionally, the system offered me a reward: a journey to the most important time in my past. I decided to do it."
As Gail and Edward talked, they covered a significant portion of the journey to the tribe. It was midnight, and they were closer to the tribe than ever. The air was cool and crisp, filled with the scent of pine and damp earth.
Eager to learn more about Edward, the future, and the system, Gail asked to hear the rest of the story.
Edward continued, "I strapped the explosives to myself and tried to secretly get closer to the fuel source of the mine to increase the explosion's intensity. I knew I would die, but I had nothing to lose. At that moment, I was only thinking about taking revenge on the Serpents. As I tried to secretly approach the fuel source, the Serpents spotted me. They fired at me, and I blew myself up halfway there. Everything went dark. The system message appeared, telling me I had successfully completed the quest. Then a time tunnel appeared in front of me. When I opened my eyes, I was near this tribe."
Gail said, "You should be happy. You are one of the few people who completed their mission and returned to the past. Of course, some others also managed to return to the past but failed on their way to the temple. I saw one of them before you. He had turned into a wolf-like monster, and I had to kill him."
Edward smiled bitterly and said, "So, I did the right thing by not completing the system's mission as soon as I entered the tribe and waiting for someone like you to show up."
Gail asked, "But where were you when I came to the tribe? Why didn't the tribe leader introduce me to you?"
Edward replied, "When I saw you and felt hopeful that we had found a savior, the tribe leader sent me on a mission to other tribes to gather allies after you defeated Gamesh in the first battle."
Gail said, "Isn't it the tribe's rule that to gain citizenship, one must fight someone? How did the tribe members accept you?"
Edward replied, "When I came to the tribe, the leader wasn't this old, and he didn't have a son. His main concern was producing an heir. But later, when Gamesh was born and grew older, and the leader aged, the issue of succession arose. Anyone wanting to join the tribe had to fight the leader's son, as they might have ambitions for the tribe leadership."
Gail asked, "Were there others who had to fight Gamesh?"
Edward said, "No. After me, no one else joined this tribe. You were the first. Perhaps those who failed on their way to the temple were sent on this mission from other tribes or tried to reach the temple without entering a tribe, with different initial missions."
While talking, Gail and Edward had covered the entire path to the tribe through the forest. As they reached the forest's edge, a fiery glow caught Gail's attention. Part of the initial structures of the tribe, which formed a village, was burning. The sounds of battle and conflict were heard, echoing through the night.
Edward said, "We've finally reached the tribe. I know you've completed many missions so far, but now we're facing the most important one. We must win this battle and reclaim power. Gamesh is by no means a worthy successor for the tribe's leadership. He killed his father, and we must avenge the tribe leader."
Gail drew his magic sword from its sheath. The blade glowed with an intense light, illuminating the surrounding trees and catching Edward's attention. Gail felt that nothing could stop him now. The first opportunity to fight the Anunnaki had arisen. He deeply loved the tribe leader and had not forgotten his kindness and guidance. He had to avenge him and free the various tribes from Gamesh's control and unite them against the Anunnaki.
Edward and Gail prepared to move towards the tribe when suddenly, the system appeared before Gail.