The Four Warriors of Legend

	In a town just south of Krown, the capitol of Korta, a disturbance breaks out in the marketplace. A small patrol of seventeen Minotaurs are terrorizing two women.

	“By law and decree of Chief Vroj, you will do exactly what I say,” the commander of the patrol says to the women.

	“I will not let you touch me or my sister,” one woman declares, drawing a dagger.

	The Minotaurs laugh and the commander knocks the dagger from her hand with the hilt of his Clabbard sword.

	Walking into the marketplace, four companions are immediately drawn to the commotion.

	As they approach, Kios says, “Water-runner, don’t even think about it.”

	Water-runner draws an arrow to his bow and as he releases says, “Too late Kios.” The arrow pierces into the back of the head of the Minotaur to the left of the commander, who falls with a thud.

	Kios turns to his other companions, Halis and Ulfgar, and says “Here we go again.” Kios starts casting a spell.

	Halis nods and Ulfgar cheers, “Yes, time for my ax to taste Minotaur again.”

	As Ulfgar ran in hammer and ax at the ready, Kios let loose his spell and four bolts of lighting released from his hand, killing four Minotaurs instantly. Water-runner let loose another three arrows dropping three more members of the patrol. Ulfgar jumps at his opponents and is instantly surrounded by four Minotaurs. He bashes in the heads of one with his hammer and he cuts another one’s head off. He spins and does the same to the other two. Halis draws his twin heavy maces.

	Water-runner yells, “Halis stop those four minotaurs. They are after the girls again.” Halis complies leaping after the Minotaurs. As he lands he swings his left hand mace and bashes one of the Minotaurs in the back of the neck snapping it and killing the Minotaur. He spins to his right blocking an ax swung at his waist with his right mace and then bashing the attacking Minotaur right between the horns caving in his skull. Halis has turns to face the next Minotaur and is immediately forced to bring up both maces to block an orc double ax. Then with a prayer on his lips he heaves the weapon above the Minotaur’s head and slams the maces into his chest breaking the sternum and forcing broken pieces through the Minotaur’s heart. Halis quickly turns, still praying, and casts slay living killing the last of the four. Halis turns to watch Water-runner draw his twin katanas and engage the Minotaur commander in hand to hand combat. There is a pattern of attacks and parries then Water-runner jumps over the Minotaur in a flip. When he is right over the Minotaur’s head he swings both blades down cleaving both of the horns off of the Minotaur’s head. With blinding speed Water-runner turns around and swings at the Minotaur’s back but the Minotaur moves at the last second causing the attack to just graze him. The Minotaur swings his Clabbard sword and cuts Water-runner’s right arm but not severely. Water-runner retaliates by hitting both of the Minotaur’s wrists with the dull sides of his blades disarming the Minotaur then knocks him to his knees. Water-runner lines his blades on either side of the Minotaur’s neck drawing red lines and looks like he is going to cut of the Minotaur’s head in a scissor motion.

	Water-runner says to the Minotaur commander, “Listen well Minotaur. Go back to your chief and tell him his days as ruler are numbered. Also know that if you and I ever meet on the field of battle again I will kill you.” Water-runner releases the Minotaur who runs off back to Krown and the castle of Vroj. Halis helps the women up. He hands the dagger back to the older sister.

	Ulfgar says, I remember when they used to give us a problem.” He turns to Water-runner and says, “Why did you let him go? He doesn’t deserve mercy.”

	Water-runner replies, “I want the chief to be scared. Scared people make reckless mistakes. You know all four of our masters would have spared him. He will be hard pressed to be bale to fight again with those wounds I gave him.” He turns to the women, “Are you two ok?”

	The older sister answers, “Yes thank you. How did the four of you beat them and who are you?”

	Water-runner replies, “I am Water-runner, this is my half brother Kios, his half brother Halis, and this is Ulfgar, Kios’s best friend. We have been trained by four masters, in our fields of combat, from another land.”

	Halis says, “I don’t remember the Minotaurs being like that. How long have they been so cruel?”

	The younger sister responds, “How long have you been gone? They have been like this for the last twenty years.”

	Kios responds, “We have been gone for a hundred and twenty years. We left thirty years after the Minotaurs took over Korta, wanting to free our land and our people from the Minotaurs.”

	The older sister turns to Halis and asks, “How are you all so young in appearance? Also you are a human, how are you still alive?”

	Halis answers, “This is a long tale maybe we should go someplace more comfortably.”

	“We can go to our house,” the younger sister says, “Our father is the mayor.” The two sisters led the four to the mayor’s house. When they get to the house, the four are introduced to the mayor. Then what happened with the Minotaurs is shared.

	The mayor says, “Thank you, all of you, for saving my daughters.

	Kios says, “It is what we feel we must do.”

	Halis says, “Now I will answer your question from before. We were traveling and exploring in the mountains near the Southern border of Korta. While we were there we found a cave and inside the cave was an old man, who wore a gold cloak. He greeted us, brought us into the cave and told us what Korta was like before the Minotaurs. He then told us about four masters, that since have become our masters. He then told us we could save the people of Korta if we went to these four. We agreed and he gave us gifts of weapons and blessed us in a way that now we know keeps us young.”

	“What weapons did he give each of you?” the mayor asks.

	Water-runner says, “He gave me my bow and quiver.”

	Halis answers, “He gave me my heavy mace that I carry in my right hand.”

	Ulfgar responds, "He gave me my ax, which is a dwarven design of a normal weapon.”

	Kios says, “He gave me this,” as he pulls his trident off his back, “it is a trident, a weapon of a sea elf. As soon as I touched it I knew how to use it.”

	Water-runner says, “We promised him we would return to him when we returned to Korta. We are headed there. We were going to get supplies when we saw your daughters in trouble and the teachings of our master moved us to action.”

	The younger daughter asks, “You leased four arrows during the battle with the Minotaurs but your quiver seems to have lost a single arrow?”

	Water-runner chuckles and answers, “Yes my quiver never runs out of arrows and my bow has a limit of my vision for range. They are magic just like the weapons of my companions.”

	The mayor points out, “You told of how you received some of your weapons but what of the other weapons you carry and the book you carry Kios.”

	Kios responds, “This book is my spell book it has many spells, it possess fifty percent of all the known spells. My master gave it to me.”
	Water-runner responds, “My master gave me these katanas, his favorite weapons, to allow me to fight in close quarters. They will not break and there are only a few things my blades can’t cut through.”

	Halis says, “My other mace was given to me by my master, they are both unbreakable. I was also given an amulet of my god.”

	Ulfgar states, “My hammer was a gift as well from my master.”

	Kios says, “We were all given other protection. Water-runner was given magic studded leather armor, Halis was given chainmail armor, Ulfgar was given half plate armor, and I was given a cloak with magic to protect me like armor being wearing armor interferes with my spells.”

	The mayor says, “We have detained you too long, please take supplies from my stores and by all means if you ever come this way again please feel free to stop and stay here. We will make rooms ready that are fit for four kings.”

	Kios responds while the others nod in agreement, “Thank you.” They leave after supplying their bags and head south again. Their traveling is unhindered.

	On the third day of travel Kios tells the others something he had learned, I think the old man is a gold dragon in human form. I studied dragons with Master Ronlin and they can become human in appearance. They usually wear robes of their color skin. Don’t worry about a gold dragon. There are two sets of dragons/ The Chromatics: blue, green, red, black, and white, and the Metallics: gold, bronze, copper, silver, and brass. The chromatics are evil and the metallics are good.”

	Water-runner reacts, “That explains our gifts and their magic qualities.” On the fourth day they reached the cave. As they approached the entrance the old man greeted them.

	 “Welcome back my young friends,” the old man says, “I hope your journey was beneficial.”

	Water-runner answers, “Yes we learned much. We even got to test our lessons on our way back to see you.”

	“I see you are carrying new items,” the old man points out.

	“Yes the masters gave them to us as signs that we had completed our training,” Kios says, “What is your name good sir?”

	“I have many names, the one given to me by Bahamut is too hard to pronounce so you can call me Goldwing,” the old man responds.

	Kios responds, “A good name for a Gold Dragon.”

	Goldwing looks shocked then nods and chuckles, “Ronlin trained you well Kios. Let me look at the four of you.” He looks at them. First he examined Kios. He is five foot ten and has slightly pointed ears. His hair is brown and short. He has no facial hair. His eyes are deep brown and are slightly slanted. His elven heritage is very prominent but he is stockier then an elf. He wears a whit robe. He carries his trident, which is a deep green. He also keeps a nice book that carries his spells.

       Then he moves to Water-runner. He is five foot six. His ears are pointed more than Kios’s. He has no facial hair either. His hair is blonde and his face is marked by a red tattoo across his nose. He is very slender but has a sculpted body. He wears brown studded leather armor. His katanas are on his sides and his bow and quiver are on his back. The katanas have green blades and his bow, arrow shafts and quiver are all green as well. His eyes are a sharp green.

       Then he moves to Halis. He is six foot. He has a well chiseled body showing great strength. His eyes are blue and his hair a short cut blonde. He has a well groomed goatee. His maces are at his sides. His chain mail armor gleams.

      Ulfgar is last. He stands only four foot three. His beard is long and braided. His hair is a distinct red. His body is chiseled and hard. His half plate armor shines brightly. His hammer hangs on his left side and his axe on his right. His eyes are almond in color. “You have all grown well,” says Goldwing after his inspection.

      Water-runner says, “Master Oreius would like to thank you for sending him a pupil.”

     “As does Ronlin, Arthur, and Helgar,” says Kios.

     Halis asks, “Why did you choose us to go see the masters?”

     “You four fit the description of the prophecy of four great warriors. I sensed great power inside the four of you. Now you know how to use it. Bahamut would be pleased with this outcome,” Goldwing says, “Water-runner… that was not your name when we met. Oreius must have changed it. What was it before you met him?”

     “My name was Negalos but Oreius felt the ranger who fights the Minotaurs should not have such a name. He felt it was too kingly. I like the new name,” Water-runner says.

     Kios says, “I think it fits….” Just then the roar of a Minotaur is heard.

     Ulfgar yells, “Minotaurs.” Then he swears in dwarfish.

     Halis asks, “How did they find us? We must stop them from harming Goldwing.” The four of them prepare for battle. Water-runner draws his katanas. Halis draws his maces and starts to pray. Ulfgar draws his hammer and axe. Kios draws his magic to the surface of him. Goldwing grabs Kios and quickly teaches him the spell Phantasm Killer.

     The Minotaurs charge, seventy five of them, at the warriors. “How are we supposed to beat seventy five Minotaur warriors?” Kios asks.

     Goldwing answers, “You must trust in your training.”

     Water-runner says, “He’s right. Let’s go.” He runs forward, blades flashing.