Chapter Four The Gate Keepers

In the heart of an enigmatic house, concealed within the forgotten realms of an abandoned theme park, exists a clandestine assembly that goes by the name of the Gate Keepers. These individuals lead lives that outwardly appear typical, occupied with everyday jobs, and devoted to their families. Yet, beneath the veneer of normality, they wage a concealed war against those who dabble in the mystical arts.

For the Gate Keepers, magic in all its forms stands as anathema, and those who dare to manipulate its forces are seen as threats deserving of eradication. Their shared cause was catalyzed by the charismatic Keith Korte, a man haunted by the untimely demise of his parents, victims of a grim fate brought about by the very magic he now abhors.

At the tender age of fourteen, Keith's life took a harrowing turn when he returned from school to an empty home. His parents were conspicuously absent, and as the daylight waned and nightfall arrived, the grim reality of their absence gnawed at him. When days passed without a trace of his parents, Keith contacted the authorities, who eventually discovered the lifeless bodies marked with peculiar symbols. Overheard conversations among doctors confirmed that these symbols were indicative of magic users, propelling Keith into a world shrouded in mystery and danger.

Haunted by these events, Keith vanished from the town that held the memories of his family and the horror of his parents' demise. He sought refuge within the confines of a dilapidated residence, nestled within the heart of the abandoned amusement park. Over the years, he cultivated his new home, setting up modern amenities like internet connectivity and fostering connections with kindred spirits who believed in his cause. The shared mission united them as he regularly divulged gathered intelligence, such as reports of individuals defying gravity with their powers.

As they embarked on their missions, Keith's companions couldn't help but inquire about the sources of his information. With a knowing grin, he attributed it to online research and conversations with outsiders who empathized with his journey. Unbeknownst to his devoted followers, the man they revered as their leader harbored a hidden secret: he himself possessed the very magic he sought to eliminate. The power that flowed through his veins was a legacy from his parents, the same parents he had lost to magic's capricious grasp.

Initially striving to disavow his innate magical abilities, Keith struggled to suppress the yearning within him. But the enchantment pulsating through his core couldn't be quelled so easily. A voice, as if whispered by the arcane currents themselves, beckoned him to harness his gifts, offering to aid him in identifying and eliminating the very magic wielders he vowed to destroy. The allure of vengeance and the promise of eradicating those who symbolized his loss became too enticing to resist.

In secret, Keith began to wield his magic, orchestrating covert missions to exterminate practitioners of the mystic arts. His accomplices never questioned the origins of his information, their shared objective blinding them to the enigma of their leader's sources. Keith, driven by both personal trauma and his growing magical prowess, meticulously guided his followers in their quest to expunge magic from the world.

As time elapsed, the Gate Keepers amassed an unknown tally of magical practitioners who had met their fate at their hands. Their collective sense of purpose and righteousness bolstered their conviction that they were the champions of a better world. Steeped in the shadows, they undertook the grim tasks that the ordinary populace remained blissfully ignorant of, convinced that they were the protagonists of their own narrative.

Ironically, they failed to realize that their actions, fueled by vengeance and hatred, mirrored the very darkness they sought to extinguish. Keith, ensnared by the tantalizing allure of his powers and the promise of retribution, tugged at the precipice between savior and malefactor. The Gate Keepers' story, a tapestry woven with secrets, personal struggles, and an unyielding belief in their mission, painted a portrait of complexities that resonated beyond the confines of their hidden sanctuary.