The candles burned brightly atop the cake. 74 flames danced and flickered as all of Wallace’s loved ones sang. He smiled weakly even though his heart was heavy. Another year gone. Another year of toiling away at the tavern, of watching young bright eyed adventurers come and go. He wished with all of his heart to be one of them. He wanted so badly to turn back the clock and for things to be different. If only he’d been chosen on his grace day. So many had been given powers. Even some of his own grandchildren had been blessed by the goddess. Little Neva could summon and control ice. She worked as a royal guard in the city. Gordie was gifted with immense strength. He was undefeated in the fight halls and was even a gold class adventurer.

Not Wallace though. His grace day came and went and nothing. And then 60 years happened. He had lived and loved to be sure. He was proud of the family he and his wife had raised, but he had always wanted adventure. To be remembered in the stories of heroes. ever since his wife passed a year ago, he’d been thinking about it more. Regret sat heavy on him. He began asking himself why. Why hadn’t he been chosen? What made a person worthy to follow their dreams?

Everything got quiet. It took Wallace a moment to snap back to reality. His children and grandchildren stared at him warily as the candles melted.

“You okay pop?”

Linus, his oldest, asked.

Wallace smiled halfheartedly and waived off their concern. With a big puff, he blew out the candles. They all cheered. The party died down and soon everyone was gone. Wallace sat alone on his porch in his old rocking chair. An identical one sat vacant next to him. The breezy night air felt good on his face. He sat there for a good long while, thinking about what his life was and what it could have been.

“What’s it all for? Sarah? Why am I still here?”

The silence was his only answer. Wallace sighed heavily. That’s all he got these days. Silence. He was alone after all. His best friend was gone. It took him a moment to rise from his chair. His joints ached in protest. As he put his hand on the doorknob, a strange sensation washed over him. His heart skipped a beat. Wallace clutched his chest, doubling over as a sharp pain lanced through him. Was this it? Was he really dying on his birthday? All he could think of was his wife’s face. Would he get to see her again at last? He hoped so.

Wallace fell to his knees as the pain raced through him. Then the pain vanished just as quickly as it started. Wallace gasped as everything went still. It was like the world itself was holding its breath. The ground began to shake, the house rattled, the air seethed and roiled. Wallace felt a surge rip through him. It was something he’d never felt before in his life. power. Unmitigated, raw power. He only had a moment to saver it before everything around him exploded.

The house he had lived in all these years was vaporized by the blast, every memory of his old life erased in a flash. His rocking chair, and Sarah’s. When the dust settled all that was left was Wallace. Only, he looked different. He was glowing. Pure energy danced beneath his skin. Wallace knew this new power like it was the air in his lungs. He stood tall as the mama worked its way through his body, healing old wounds, fortifying his muscle and bone, sharpening his mind. The voice of the goddess echoed clearly in his ears as it did for everyone blessed by her.

“You have lived long and well. As your reward, you are bestowed with the power of the Dragon Sage. You alone stand at the summit.”

Wallace could hardly believe what was happening. Tears of joy welled in his glowing eyes. He’d been given a chance to be great. He would not let it go to waste.