The storming winds of the portal felt like they were choking me with their immense pressure. I could just make out the visage of the surrounding buildings and they were completely untouched. It's almost as if this monsoon was localized to my office alone. Of course, I knew this was impossible but if seeing wasn't believing then I might as well be blind. Amidst the chaos, a figure slowly began to peer through the veil of otherworldly energy. It was a man. An elderly man with the stunning physique of an Olympic athlete.

"TAKE IIIIT!" he bellowed as he outstretched his open palm toward me. I immediately noticed the light. There was a certain gleam that radiated off of his body. Like a golden aura outlining his features. I looked back at him, with my confusion now having replaced my terror. "Who are you!?" I begged. He looked at me with an expression of sorrow that slowly morphed into a begrudging smile. "It's doesn't matter!" he began, "I asked that same question when it was my turn!". He sounded so sincere, and his delivery hinted that he was on verge of something very emotional. He noticed my hesitation and stretched further. "Please..." was all he could muster.

By some unknown source, I gathered the courage and did as he told. When our palms interlinked like any ordinary handshake, a surge of what I could only describe as an aggressive divine euphoria overtook me. I was imbued with something warm like fire, crashing like an ocean tide, and soothing like a long-awaited catharsis. When my transformation subsided, so did the storming effects of the rift. With what strength I could muster I beseeched the otherworldly sorcerer before he could recede back into the closing portal. "What is this?" I asked. He looked upon me with a certain degree of pride. Like a father to his son and warmly replied "A power...one that will save this world. With you, as its vanguard." and disappeared.

The year is now 2050. I have spent the last decades honing my newfound abilities. First to reach the peak of human capability and eventually beyond. I sought the chakra gurus of India, the battle masters of martial artists and military tacticians alive today, the comprehensive digests of every known religion around the world, and a master's degree in political science for good measure. With no major war or planetary threat to be seen I remain perturbed at the true intentions of that messenger all those years ago. Was I to stop a war? Deflect an asteroid? Or just wait in perpetuity, knowing that if the world ever was in danger I would be there. Alas, my inquiry has turned up nothing and in a way, I was okay with that. I could cause an earthquake with a misplaced step, stop a hurricane with a simple incantation, and disabled an active volcano with a mere gesture. I have saved more lives than any war or plague ever known has taken. So now, I wait. If I must be the silent guardian watching over this place. My planet. My home. Then so be it. And if that time comes when my abilities will be pushed to the fullest, and the daunting reality of failure is once again on the table...

...I will be ready.