Wait! I Wrote That? A Collection of Old, Horrific Stories

Story Twenty: Shadows of Renial Kingdom

Song: "Human Race" - Three Days Grace

Genre (s): Dark Fantasy/Horror

Written When? Freshmen Year of College

Prologue

        Do you believe in ghosts? Well, whether you do or not, I am here today to share a tale from long ago.... a medieval fairytale. Who is the girl? Who is the boy? Why are they important? Well, to start, let me tell you a little bit about Renial Kingdom.

Renial Kingdom has always been a cheerful, yet mysterious place. Its history dates back to at least 3,000 years. 3,000 years ago, the first inhabitants to ever step onto Renial's soil were the Cryptics. They had the power to communicate with the dead. Now, you may not believe in ghosts, but let me tell you... If you want to find something spooky, go to Renial Kingdom.

Not long after the Cryptics settled and built the first towns of the kingdom, their chief, Elmkim Tu Sawdi, learned they were not alone. Spirits of all kinds inhabited the kingdom from top to bottom. They came from the Spirit Realm, a huge realm that resided just above Renial. Spirits from the Spirit Realm were friendly. They watched over the land day after day, month after month, year after year.

However, good is never alone. We all know this. There is always evil lurking in the shadows. In this case, the evil was the spirits from the Exon Realm.

Just alone, the name means "Exiled from the good". With the help of a legendary staff Elmkim Tu Sawdi built when he learned of the evil spirits, the GB Staff, spirits from the Exon Realm stayed in the Exon Realm. They did not cross over to the Spirit Realm, or the Realm of Good. Legends say if a spirit from the Exon Realm crossed over to the Spirit Realm, then they had the power to turn all spirits in Renial Kingdom evil and use them to their advantage. Such a thing seemed impossible since the GB Staff always stayed in its particular spot–the closest place to the Spirit Realm, Renial Castle.

Also built by the Cryptics, the castle held a mysterious power that connected the staff and realm. As long as it stayed in the highest tower of the castle, spirits from the Exon Realm never invaded the Spirit Realm. Unfortunately, all that changed one ghastly winter night in Renial Kingdom, when a descendant of the Cryptics tried to take the staff from its resting place. What happened afterward was something he never expected. His actions put the kingdom in grave danger. Because of him, it now headed for its downfall... for its trip to the Doom Dimension.

Now that I've got all that out of the way and have given you a breakdown of Renial Kingdom, you're probably wondering who I am. My nickname is Ricky Tick Rick, but my name is Rick. I am not a knight in shining armor. However, I wish I were. This is the Middle Ages, after all. Actually, I'm just a blacksmith. Great. Hooray. Not really. I am nothing special: not a knight, a wizard, or even a baker. I am a blacksmith, the greatest job in the universe. I'm the one who has to polish the swords and horseshoes and sell them off to rude customers (not every customer is rude).

If you're looking for someone special, then I should tell you about Anecka. If I had to describe her beauty with a celestial object, it had to be the Sun. No, even more. An entire galaxy. She and I were friends for as long as I could remember. Unlike me, Anecka wielded an amazing gift.

Nowadays in Renial Kingdom, not many people can speak to spirits and see them. There are only a few. Anecka was one of those few, but unusually, she was not a descendent of the Cryptics. Descendants were the ones who maintained a strong connection between life and the afterlife. That was what made Anecka so talented.