The Enforcer Ch. 01

This is my first attempt at letting people view my writing. I have been out of writing for quite a few years and really missed it. This will allow me to see if people actually want to read my ideas. Please leave feedback. Good or bad. Also I do not have an editor. I have tried to post on here many times before but always backed out. So I decided to dip my toes in the water so to speak. If you enjoy it and want more then please let me know. Also if you have any ideas for this story or future stories please let me know. Maybe I can use them, with your permission of course. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you.

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Balls of arcane magic bounced off the trees and the frozen forest ground. Ice breaking under my feet sounded like glass as I ran for my life in fear. Not knowing what was going on I just kept going. The fireballs we're getting closer to me as I kept swerving around the trees. A bright light started to shine through the tree's. No other idea's it seemed like a good one to go toward the light, not knowing if I would regret that decision.

The closer I got to the light the slower time seemed to be. The attackers were now moving in slow motion, but I still had full speed. I decided to try to get a closer look but couldn't make out anything but dark hooded figures. The light emanating from the magic wasn't enough to show their faces. Turning back toward the light I noticed another figure materializing from nowhere. Within 20 feet of her I saw her eyes open and lock with mine.

"It's not quite time yet." While looking down to me in a demanding but angelic voice.

I awoke in my bed covered in sweat. Hastily looking around trying to figure out what was going on.

"It was only a dream", I said to myself. Chuckling as I laughed at the situation.

The situation being this dream. I started having this dream at thirteen. Only once or twice a month. Now less than a month from high school graduation and being eighteen, it happens more like every other night. After getting a drink of water and taking care of bathroom business, I looked in the mirror as I washed my face. My dark hair was all over the place, normally it would be right above my eyes. My eyes were red and I decided to take melatonin since tomorrow was saturday.

Yeah, I know. What eighteen year old doesn't go out on Friday nights? I'll tell you. A gaming nerd. I spent my night with a few of my online friends doing more quests on WOW. I am not exactly what one would call a hottie or athletic. Just average on everything, nothing to stand out or for anyone to remember me by. I'm also going to MIT to learn IT and trying to go into coding for video games. Already been accepted on a scholarship with my 4.0 GPA. After climbing into bed it didn't take long for me to drift off, and with no dreams this time.

Me and my friends walked into the gamestop ready to buy some new accessories for WOW. That was until a person caught my eye as we walked into the store. As she turned her eyes caught mine and I felt drawn in. I couldn't look away if I wanted to. Her raven hair fell past her shoulders. Emerald green eyes had me in a daze. High cheekbones with her chin coming almost to a point along with her ears. She reminded me of the elves on Lord of the rings. I was mesmerized. Then I heard it.

"It's almost time." I heard it but it was a female voice. The girl's lips and mouth never moved. As I looked around I realized she was the only female in the store. As I turned back she was gone.

"Are you okay, Derek?" Josh asked in a concerned voice that brought me out of my thoughts. Confused, I looked over to him and then over to Zack.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost in thoughts for a second." A shaky voice said back to them. I didn't even recognize it as my own voice. Then I realized they were looking at another MMORPG that was just released. They also decided to purchase, which meant I had to buy it as well. You know just so we can all play together. While my thoughts were still on that mystery girl.

The following few weeks the dreams became more consistent along with mind tricks. Mystery girl kept showing up a few times in different places. No more voices in my head though. My mind was already doomed though. I couldn't keep my mind on schoolwork or video games. The thoughts of the dream and mystery girl kept me occupied.

After talking it over with Zack and Josh, they thought dreams like that would be great. No real information on what the dream could mean. The three of us just weren't into that type of thing. It finally got to the point of my parents noticing how off I was being. My parents and I were very close and I figured they could give me some great advice.

That night I asked them if I could talk to them about what was bothering me. Dad was sitting in his while Mom sat in her's beside him. Fox news was playing and they always watched it before bed. I sat down and told them about everything. The dreams started at thirteen up until now, the voice and the mystery girl.

"Son, dreams are a part of the subconscious and we don't always know what they mean. Speculation may give some idea but it's not always accurate." Dad said in his soft voice he used when trying to teach me something. Then Mom started talking right after Dad.

"Do you think maybe it could be stress from knowing soon you'll be moving to go to college, mixed with the video games that you play?" I realized she could have a point there and I began to feel better. I thanked them both and hugged them before I went to bed. As I walked out I looked back at them both watching me and holding hands.

They were high school sweethearts and only had one child. Me. I've always told myself that I wanted a love like that. I mean I'm an eighteen year old virgin, and I'm not opposed to the idea of losing it. I also don't want a lot of one night stands in my wake. Something to just add more distraction from my studies. That night I went to sleep more relaxed than I had been since the mystery girl first showed up in my dream. Oh how it was short lived though.

The arcane fireballs shot towards me and I could feel the heat off of them. Some actually caused me pain. This was something new in my dreams. Also I could control what I was doing. It wasn't like a predetermined notion like all the others. As the fireballs began getting closer I chose a different tactic. I turned and ran at the attackers. Not knowing anything about them but hoping it surprises them enough to give me an opening. As I turned though the last thing that I saw was a fireball before it hit me.

I awoke with a start after that. My face was burning and I was in a lot of pain. I couldn't believe what was going on. How could I get hurt in a dream. It was now that I began to think how I could figure this out. I needed to do research. Maybe someone else has been through this before. Everyone now loves google. You can find practically anything on the internet now. The results showed that lucid dreams are dreams that you can control. Nothing on the magic or the pain. So it was back to square one for me. Realizing it was 4am I knew I needed sleep. My graduation was today as well as my birthday. My parents were also throwing a celebratory party for me, Zack, and Josh. Their parent's were coming as well. Pretty pathetic for graduating seniors.

Walking across the stage after my name was called will always be one of the greatest moments of my life, as well as one of the strangest. Mystery girl was in the back of the gymnasium. As I saw her and realized who she was as I turned back she was gone. Just vanished. I began to get nervous about this. Then I heard. "It's almost time."

Glancing around I was sure people thought I was crazy. Grabbing my diploma and shaking hands with the principal and the rest of the staff I was walking back to my seat when I spotted her. She saw me and smirked then turned and started walking out. I knew I couldn't go after her so I just shook it off and walked back to my seat. I did notice the weird looks my parents we're giving me though.

After everyone had left the party that night my parents asked me about it. I told them about the girl and how many times I had seen her. They just put it off to nerves and stress. I knew that wasn't what this was but couldn't really say what this was. It had me going crazy. I decided to just sleep on it.

By the time I got ready for bed it was after 12:00 so technically it was May 27th. A.K.A.my birthday. I also knew I would be leaving for college in about two and a half months. Hoping I could spend most of that time with friends and family before I would be gone for four plus years only coming back on school breaks. The good part about it was with the scholarships and my parents not having to pay for that I didn't need to get a job. My parents would pay for my housing and what little spending money I would need. I fell asleep thinking how everything was beginning to come together for me. Maybe I'd even meet a girl at college.

I hit the forest ground after being hit with the fireball. The ice on the ground made my hands grow cold. Looking back I saw more magic coming at me. Jumping up I began to run away from the attackers. I noticed the light again while I was running. Everything went into slow motion again. Knowing what was coming I ran to the light and there she was.

I slowed down to a walk and while I was walking up to her she lifted her arm and balled her fist. As she did I froze. I couldn't move and was struggling to breathe. I didn't know what was going on.

"You will be released and will not attack." came a very authoritative but angelic voice. I was beginning to shake with fear. Who was she?

"W... Who are.. Are you? I was stuttering badly and couldn't really talk. I knew that she knew that I was terrified.

"I am Hekate. Goddess of all magic. You, Derek Winters, have been chosen by me." This couldn't be real. Magic isn't real. It's just fantasy. Right? As she said this my hand's began to glow blue. Strength was building inside of me.

"Now is your time. We will talk after you have defeated the cuthren. If you fail you will be injured but not seriously and we will have to do this again tomorrow. Consider this, practice." Then she vanished and I could breathe. My hand's were still glowing as the light around them dissipated. I could hear the Cuthren getting closer and seeing the fireballs made me run. They had me on the defensive and I had to do something.

Running into the trees for cover seemed like the best idea. But now I could hear them talking. Being too far away though couldn't make out what was being said. As I thought about what to do next, WOW came to mind. This is just like a video game. Glancing around the tree to see there were only four attackers. Trying to force a magic attack didn't work. Neither did using the tree for cover. As I took another fireball to the face everything went black.

After thinking about the dream for a few hours and not coming up with anything I knew it just had to be a crazy dream and mystery girl or Hekate was just a coincidence. I mean how can a person be in real life and a dream and you not know the person? I felt confident in my realization until I heard it.

"This is very real. You need to practice but I figured you would already have some knowledge of magic. It seems I need to help you along some." The angelic voice startled me but I was sitting at my computer and no one was home at the moment. This would be a good time to see if I was insane though.

"How are you in my head?" I was really starting to freak out now. This was just getting too crazy.

"I speak to my chosen this way. Right now that is you. It is time you learned about magic." This made me very curious.

"Just how many "chosen" do you have?" I asked, knowing that having a conversation with a voice in your head was enough to have you put away in some places.

"Sometimes dozens, sometimes none. Right now only one. That's you Derek."

"Why me? I mean I'm nobody."

"You are not a nobody. You are my chosen. I chose you due to your inner strength not physical appearance. You will be my right hand in time. But first you need to practice. Close your eyes and try to feel the magic in your veins and visualize it. Make it be. Once you do this you will see your hands glow as you did last night. Once you can activate your magic at will then we will continue this conversation and I will be watching." This was said in anger and I am pretty sure I don't want to argue or piss off a goddess. Even if it is all in my head. That doesn't seem to be a good idea.

After practicing all day in my room. Or at least until my parents got home I still had gotten nowhere. I guess I didn't fully believe in what was going on. As I got ready for bed that night though she appeared in front of me from out of nowhere. As I saw her I froze and she put her palm to my forehead. Then there was just darkness.