**Chapter 1: The Unseen Inheritance**

Tony Wyzek stared out the window of his family's Manhattan apartment, lost in thought as the sounds of the bustling city below seemed to fade into the background. His parents, Mark and Sarah, were busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, oblivious to the introspection that had suddenly gripped their 14-year-old son. It was a typical Wednesday evening, with Tony's mind usually preoccupied with school, friends, and the latest video games. But today, something felt different. As he gazed out at the concrete jungle, Tony couldn't shake off the sensation that there was something...off about him. It started a few days ago, with strange, fleeting visions of ghostly apparitions and unexplained noises in the night. At first, he had dismissed it as stress or an overactive imagination, but the feelings persisted. His parents had attributed it to puberty, telling him it was just a phase, but Tony wasn't so sure. He turned away from the window, his eyes scanning the familiar surroundings of his room. The walls were plastered with posters of his favorite bands and athletes, and his desk was cluttered with books, gadgets, and half-finished projects. Everything seemed normal, yet Tony couldn't help but feel like he was hiding from something – or someone. As he sat down at his desk, Tony noticed a stack of old family photos on the shelf. His parents had always been a bit vague about his early childhood, but he had never really questioned it. Now, curiosity got the better of him, and he began to flip through the pictures. One photo caught his eye – a faded image of a smiling couple with a young child, who looked uncannily like him. The caption read: "Aunt Lily, Uncle Jack, and...me?" Tony's eyes widened as he realized he had never seen this picture before. He rushed to the kitchen, where his parents were busy chopping vegetables. "Mom, Dad, who's Aunt Lily and Uncle Jack?" Tony asked, trying to sound casual. His parents exchanged a nervous glance, and Mark cleared his throat before speaking. "Ah, Tony, those are...your biological relatives. You know, we've talked about this before – you were adopted when you were a baby." Tony's mind reeled as he processed this information. Adopted? He had never really thought about it before, assuming it was just a routine fact of his life. Now, he felt a sudden urge to know more. "What happened to them?" Tony pressed, his eyes locked on his parents. Sarah hesitated before speaking. "They...weren't in a stable situation, Tony. We were told they weren't capable of taking care of you, so you were...removed from their custody." The words hung in the air, leaving Tony with more questions than answers. Who were his biological relatives, really? And what had happened to them? As he looked at his parents, he sensed that they were hiding something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Little did Tony know, his life was about to take a drastic turn, one that would lead him into a world of ghostly powers, ancient portals, and a family secret that had been hidden for years.