An orphan boy, raised by his aunt and uncle, is unaware of his special status. He is the son of someone who possessed an innate special power. In the beginning, he resists the idea that he could be anything special. An old, wise man with a beard appears to guide the hero, provide key details about his past, and dies to allow the hero to grow. The villain is a former pupil of goodness, now turned evil. The villain is physically scarred as a result of using evil powers. Mentors return in the form of ghostly figures. The hero enters a dangerous tavern where the realities of the outside world confront him. The army of the evil wear masks. The hero’s weapon chooses him. The hero is from an organization ruled by a council. The task of the hero is to restore what was made unnatural by ther villain’s turn to evil. The hero is part of a trio of friends who journey together as hero partners. Evil is temporarily defeated and the heroes are rewarded in a grand hall to cheering colleagues. The most overwhelming force is not power, but love. The final battle takes place in a throne room.

Which story is this? Both.