The Iron Forest: Ancestor's Legacy

Morning shifted into day, blanketing the forest with dew. Evergreen trees stood proud—their branches leaving thin columns of light showering covered rocks. Sana, breathing hard through the thin mountain air, wiped sweat from her brow despite the morning chill. Her joints burned.

Bird songs above reached a crescendo, mixing with the trickling water from a nearby stream. Sometimes, if she listened closely, she heard her ancestor’s voices through the wind from snow-capped mountains—whispered stories told amid branches and leaves.

This part of the forest housed animals great and small, but no men. The Outlands, forbidden to all humans, bordered the great tribes. No physical barrier stood in the way of anyone passing, but crossing into this land meant encountering nightmarish creatures, not of flesh, but forged in steel.

Sana crouched suddenly, seeing a pair of antlers covered in brown velvet, shifting behind a distant sapling’s branch. From the tree’s shadows appeared an elk. His body was thick, covered in tanned fur. The creature strutted, confidant and graceful, as it grazed.

Resting her spear on the ground, Sana reached for her bow, preferring the range it provided. As she pulled an arrow from her quiver, she was careful to be silent. The hunt was a game of patience and cunning, with no room for mistakes. This she learned time and time again: a single sound from a breaking twig or nocking an arrow would send her target running.

She took a breath, muscles tensing.

Sana crept closer, pulling back on the bowstring. The arrow’s wooden shaft felt cool against her cheek.

“Great ancestors, please embrace this animal’s spirit and keep me humble in the harvest. Guide my arrow for a swift, clean kill, for his last breath should not be of pain or agony. I honor this animal.”

A metallic clank from within the forest sent the elk into a panic. He bolted, disappearing into the trees, sending chunks of grass and dirt airborne.

Ancestors, damn you! She thought, watching the branches shake where the elk once stood.

The forest fell silent… until a flurry of movement occurred. Twigs and leaves crunched from beyond the shadows where the canopy blocked the sun. Birds burst into the air, chirping warnings.

Sana turned with her arrow still nocked. The memory of what lurked within the Outlands sent chills where deerskin clothes left her uncovered. She remembered the stories told by the elders. Tales of ancient beasts that lurked beyond the mountains, created for the sole purpose of ridding Earth of men.

A red glowing orb peered through low-hanging branches—the eye of a Reaper. The machine focused on Sana. It moved on two mechanical legs; reverse hinged like those of a flightless bird. Pistons and servos whined with each step, coupling with the clanking of black painted metal and composite steel.

Sana backed away as it unfolded its arms. A pair of long steel blades, large and powerful enough to sever a man in two, flashed against the sunlight.

Most people would run at the sight of a Reaper, but not Sana. She was a warrior of the Shankur, those who believe fear is fuel that adds strength and quickness in the heat of battle. With gritted teeth, she took aim.

Exhaling, she loosed her arrow made from salvaged parts of its intended target. Sparks burst from a direct hit to its eye, throwing the mechanical beast off guard. The red light flickered as the Reaper shuttered.

Grinning at her perfect shot, Sana took a moment to celebrate. But the beast still posed a threat. Her arrow caused damage but wasn’t enough to kill.

The Reaper roared.

No man or woman could withstand a charge by the steel demon. Sana darted sideways to avoid being impaled. She shifted again, feeling the wind from a second swing. The machine was quick for its size, but Sana was quicker. That was until a backswing caught her leg, slicing the meaty part of her thigh. Sana screeched, angry at herself.

There is always a time to fight and a time to run, her mother reiterated during their training sessions.

She ran, grabbing her spear as she passed it.

The Reaper followed, shredding branches in its wake.

Ahead, a ravine stretched across a clearing. It hid beneath a hill, but Sana knew of it and hoped the Reaper didn’t. She sprinted faster, keeping an eye on where the forest ended, and the ravine began. Behind her, the Reaper closed the distance.

A leap and cry accompanied Sana into the air.

The ravine within a shallow gorge passed below, but the opposite ledge proved too far.

Sana fell, hitting the rock covered ground. Pain shot through her back and legs as she stood, moaning. She took a quick glance around to reset her strategy. A precipice to her right and towering stones to her left gave her few options—a bad place to run, but a good place to fight. At the opposite wall above, she heard the beast shuffling.

The echoes of metal against dirt grew louder as it approached. Sana readied her spear in preparation to fight. She needed to prove herself worthy of being called a warrior, and the time came quick.

The Reaper leaped off the ledge, but its heavy metal frame with carbon composite skin proved too much against hard stone, its right leg shattered from a bank of granite rocks. Gears and pistons whirled.

Sana approached the Reaper as it flailed. Her knuckles were white from how hard she gripped her spear. She needed to finish this, to deliver that final blow. Victory is all about timing, Sana. Time it well.

She reared back to plunge her spear through the Reaper’s core—A flash of light and sparks showered in all directions, throwing her back. The Reaper quivered before it fell silent. Its bright red eye dimming to black.

Another spear was through its center.

“Ikesh!” Her eyes met the proud man standing above her. He was a warrior of the Shankur, one of the best, despite his slim build and youthful charm. Beads of sweat trickled from inky black hair down his smooth amber skin. Ikesh shared the same age as Sana, at twenty-five winters since his name day.

He stood there with a proud smile, likely waiting for her gratitude and regard for ridding the world of a Reaper.

“Ancestors, damn you!” Sana said, slamming her spear down and storming off.

“What?”

She gritted her teeth, pointing to the machine that now oozed black and red fluid. “That was my kill!”

“Then why is my spear inside it instead of yours?” He came down the ravine’s side to yank his weapon out, sending another burst of sparks upward.

Not responding, Sana retrieved her arrow from the machine’s shattered eye. Her silence was his punishment.

She marched up the ravine that narrowed to steps made from granite boulders. Cool water poured from the rock’s crevasses, splashing down to a pool at the stream’s head. She knelt, splashing cold water across her face. The water gave her a sense of rejuvenation and soon she hopped from one boulder to another, working her way up and out the ravine.

Ikesh followed, staying behind a few steps. She kept her angry glare, knowing it wouldn’t last forever. A lifetime together taught her it’s only a matter of time till she got the right words from him.

“Sorry for ruining your hunt.”

And there it is. She paused, trying hard not to smile. “It’s alright. There will be–”

“Besides, I was only trying to protect you. You know well enough it’s forbidden and too dangerous to be this far into the Outlands.”

And there it goes. “Thanks, but I can handle myself. Reapers, bears, and wolves are nothing I haven’t’ dealt with before… Wait.” She turned to face him. “Why are you here?”

Ikesh hesitated. “Your father sent me to find you.”

Of course, he did. For a minute, I thought you came out here to see me. “And what does he want?”

Ikesh shrugged. “He didn’t say… and I’m just a humble warrior that is not privileged enough to question our chief.”

“Your chief.”

He smirked, countering, “Your father.”

Sana sighed. She loved her father, but every time he beckoned her, she would be forced to give up her becoming a warrior and instead get placed on a pedestal as a Shankur princess. “Fine. Let’s go see what my divine-father-chief has to say.” She took a couple of steps before commenting, “You still owe me for that kill.”

He grinned, now at her side. “How about a kiss?”

“Maybe later.” A smile grew on Sana’s face. “I’m still mad at you.”

“You’ll forgive me.”

She chuckled. Ikesh was the one person in the world that made her happy. Staying or feigning anger with him was short of impossible. She enjoyed his friendship since childhood and now, as adults, they shared each other’s love—which caused another issue with her father.

They headed toward a distant mountain range, framed in spruce and aspen. After a time, the ground became less rocky, and the trees thinned, offering a more unobstructed view. A wisp of cloud passed through the swaying treetops, making rays of sunlight flicker between the trunks. Overhead, squirrels barked as they spun around the trees in a high-speed race.

From one side of the ridge to the other, towers of metal, taller than the trees stretched towards the sky. They were posted in a grand wall, but not one made from stone or wood. It was a curtain of light designed to keep the Reapers from entering the world of men. Gaia’s Wall, the Shainxu called it. Built by the Ancients centuries ago to protect humans from the machines.

Sana and Ikesh relaxed as they passed through the glowing barrier, no longer needing to check every dark shadow and hidden crevasse. A few feet later, they crossed over a ridge that overlooked their city.

Sana spent most of her life in the forest and knew the plants and trees enough to name each one individually. She loved the rich smells of sap and clear spring waters. The forest was where she belonged, not in a drab old court discussing politics. Out among the trees is wilderness where she felt free and closer to her ancestors.

Knees aching, Sana moved to sit on a wall made of red brick held by mortar within a small clearing along the mountainside. Over a thousand years of vines and moss covered all but a small section, removing any likeness of the original structure. Half the building drifted down the mountain, torn apart by wind and rain, yet the remains still served as a reminder of the ancients who once dominated Earth. It was a favorite place of hers. She could see Maholin and a couple other villages through the distant haze—the entire world at her fingertips.

Sana gestured at Ikesh to sit and reached for his hand. He spoke little for most of the trip from the Outlands. Not abnormal since she knew Ikesh was a man of few words. Something is stirring in that head of his though, Sana thought, watching at how he fidgeted with a beaded bracelet around his wrist the longer they sat there. “What’s on your mind?”

“While you were gone a Kutassan emissary arrived at the village.”

That surprised her. The Kutassan tribe tended to stay out of Shankur affairs, preferring to remain neutral and away from political bickering. Sana believed they retained lingering embarrassment for not helping the Shankur fight the Chotukhan during the War of Five Winters. Weak painted fools.

“What do they want?”

“Don’t know. Your father commanded me to find you the moment they arrived. He looked quite distraught.”

She scoffed. “He worries too much.”

“With you as his daughter, he has every reason to.”

“What?” She smacked him in the shoulder, hard. “That’s not fair.”

“By the Ancestors, it’s not,” Ikesh mocked, standing tall and noble with his spear held upright. He spoke with a high-pitched voice to match hers. “I am Sana, princess of the Shankur. I was born wearing a crown, but rather hold a spear.”

Sana admitted to herself, but she was amused by his impression. “Oh, yeah?” She grinned and stood now, mocking his voice and fighting stance. “I am Ikesh, proud son of a carpenter who rose through the ranks as Chief Baju’s greatest captain. I am so awesome. I have won the heart of his daughter, the Shankur princess.”

Ikesh returned to his seat on the brick wall. “Okay, you win.”

“Yep,” she said, sitting next to him. Her head rested on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Sana sighed, staring at the aspen trees, framing a view that seemed to go on for eternity. It was a moment she wished would last forever. “We should see what’s out there, beyond Gaia’s Wall.”

“You know that’s not possible.”

“I know, but it sounds like a better idea than spending hours in court.”

Ikesh chuckled. “It’s not all that bad.”

She lifted her head. “How would you know? You get to spar beneath the Ancestral Oak with all the visiting warriors. I’m forced to listen the court ladies talk about how pretty their hair is and the color of their dresses, when all I want to talk about is the proper way to gut a boar.”

Ikesh snorted.

“Do you agree?”

“Of course, I agree with you, Sana. Doing anything otherwise is not safe.”

“True.” She returned her head to his shoulder. “Ever wonder what the future holds?” she asked to change the subject.

“Sometimes. It’s a moot point since my future is already beautiful and sitting at my side.”

Sana smiled. “Same here.” She turned to admire the sharpness in his jaw and the blue of his eyes. “I’ll have that kiss now.”