I'm Eli Whitmore—nineteen years old, awkward around people, and addicted to hot tea and ancient spell books. I go to The Arcane Institute of Mystical Sciences, the kind of place where being strange is just... normal. You'll find mages, dark paladin, wizards, sorcerers, werewolves, vampires, witches, necromancers, cursed scholars, and magical beasts disguised as librarians.
Me? I'm something else entirely. I'm what they call a Gate Way Keeper. Sounds cool, right? But believe me—it's more curse than title. I didn't choose this life. It chose me.
I can see things—spirits, ghosts, beings caught between life and death. Non-living things. And it all started when I was just ten.
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Nine Years Ago
The rain poured hard that morning. The sky was crying, just like we were. My grandpa had died. A silent, painful goodbye that none of us were ready for.
We were gathered in Grandma's living room after the funeral. Everyone dressed in black, whispering sad stories, pretending they were okay. I sat on the couch, too young to understand grief—but not too young to see the impossible.
That's when I saw him.
Grandpa. Sitting right beside Grandma.
He looked peaceful, even happy. His favorite sweater, those same kind eyes, the way his hands rested on his knees…
He was real. I wasn't imagining him.
"Mom," I whispered, tugging at her sleeve, "Is Grandpa really... gone?"
She gave me a soft smile, trying to be strong. "Yes, honey. He's in a better place now. Why do you ask?"
I glanced nervously at the armchair. "Because... I see him. He's sitting right there. Next to Grandma."
Her face changed. "Eli... this isn't funny."
"I'm serious," I said, still staring at him. Grandpa looked at me with tears in his eyes. He smiled.
Mom looked worried, even scared. "Go sit with Grandma, Eli. Maybe being close to her will help."
I nodded and went over. Grandma didn't look surprised when I sat next to her.
"You saw him, didn't you?" she asked gently, brushing my hair back.
"You believe me?" I whispered.
She smiled with a hint of tears in her eyes. "Of course I do, my sweet boy. You have a gift—just like my mother had. You can see the ones who stay behind."
"I can really talk to him?" I asked.
She nodded. "Tell him I love him. And that it's okay. He can move on."
I turned to Grandpa, my hands shaking. "Grandpa?"
His eyes widened. "Grandson... you can really see me?"
"Yes. Grandma wants you to know she loves you. And you don't have to worry about her anymore."
Tears streamed down his face as he looked at me. "Thank you, my boy. Tell her... I love her more than the stars in the sky. And that I'm so proud of her... and of you."
I choked back tears, not fully understanding why this moment felt like the end of something.
"Eli," he said softly, "Put your hand on my forehead."
"What? Why?" I asked, confused.
"Because you're the one who can help spirits like me find the light. You're a Gate Way Keeper."
His words echoed in my mind. Gate Way Keeper? I had no idea what that meant... only that it sounded heavy.
But I did what he asked.
As soon as my hand touched his forehead, a warm light glowed beneath my palm. Grandpa began to fade, light swallowing his shape like the rising dawn. I felt his soul leave—not in fear, but in peace.
"Take care of Grandma," he whispered. "And never lose that kind heart of yours."
Then... he was gone.
To be continued.