Gauntlet Legacy

Prologue

A loud grunt escaped from a man. He slowly got up to his feet and saw the monster ahead of him. This montser was tall, had wings, his claws were sharp, and his eyes were a bloodshot red.
They were at some sort of alter. Behind the monster had a church like glass window. But below him was a fiery pit. Fire pillars and fire balls shot up in the air from time to time. And across from the tall winged monster laid a concrete platform. It was big enough for more than one person. And that was where this man was.

The monster laughed at the sight of the man. The man stumbled once he got to his feet, his left hand on his chest. He was breathing in and out heavily, the monster easily noticed it. "Getting weak there Mike?" The montser spoke low and deep. "I will not allow you to pass me." Mike replied, slowly looking up to see the demon. "No one can save you Mike. Not your wife, not your daughters, not even Sumner." The montser spoke to him.
Mike gritted his teeth. The thought of his family being brought into this angered him. Just the mention of them. The demon snickered at him, noticing the look on Mike's face. "Ah yes. Your wonderful family that you will never see again." The demon taunted. Mike was breathing in and out rapidly. His anger was too much to handle now. He slowly walked up towards the monster. "You will not hurt my family!" He yelled. Coughing shortly afterwards. He looked down to see his wound. Blood was still escaping out. Soon, he will surely die from blood loss.

A big fireball shot out towards the demon. It was sudden. It hit the montser directly in the chest. He shouted in pain, immediately putting his hand on his chest where the fireball hit him. Mike turned around.
There, another man walked up. He was wearing a yellow cloak and a yellow wizard hat. "You will not hurt Mike anymore!" The wizard yelled, now standing in front of Mike.
"Get out of my way Sumner! This is not your battle!" The demon yelled at the wizard. "Away with you Skorne! I shall not let you kill anyone! Not after what you did to my brother!" Sumner yelled back.
Now the wizard had a flash of his baby brother's body. He walked towards him. He looked down to see his brother already dead. Blood poured out his back and a patch of blood was also on top of his hand. Sumner, in that moment, unleashed his fury. Lightning strikes erupted out of the palms of his hands. He knew he couldn't do this alone and ended up recruiting someone from Earth. A husband and father of three girls. Sure Mike was assisted greatly by the realms heroes, but now him and Sumner were alone here. The realms heroes were busy guarding the castle.

"Garm wasn't it? He tried to control me!" Skorne yelled. He then brought a hand down and slammed it on the platform. It shook and a piece of the concrete fell into the fiery pit. Once it made contact, a shot of fire sprouted upwards. Mike fell back down onto his knees. Sumner managed to stay on his feet, assisted by his staff he used to support himself.
"Didn't give you the right to kill him!" Sumner yelled back.

Suddenly, Skorne picked up the wizard and held him tightly. "Now, as I was saying, this is my battle with Mike. And you won't be able to save him."
Sumner's eyes grew wide, knowing what the demon will do. He threw him away from behind. The glass shattered as the force was great enough to let it happen.
Eight pieces now laid on the concrete platform, near Mike. "No. No." Was all the man could say.
Skorne cackled as he continued to watch Mike crawling towards the shattered glass window pieces. "Not this time old Mike. You're finished. And you've failed."
Mike ignored the monster as he continued crawling to the pieces. All he thought about was his family. Tears now started to fall down his face. He refused to accept that he failed. He tried not to think about how weak he was getting. The blood loss was now critical.

"Sorry Mike. But you're finished." Skorne said.

Skorne then impaled Mike through the stomach. Mike let out a gasp and looked down. A blade went through him. Blood dripped down as it escaped from his body. The demon was still. His arm was stretched out so he could reach the man. The sword blade was long enough that, behind Mike, the tip of it reached far behind on the ground. Mike continued to gasp for air. "Lori, Sara, C, Angela." He gasped each name out. Flashes of them appeared in front of his eyes.
His eyes slowly closed as his body went limp. His arms became weak as they now went down to his sides. His head limped forward.
Skorne lifted the sword up to his face. He pushed Mike's body down the blade and held him in his hand. "Sorry that your family has to know your death." He said quietly.

Then, he simply dropped Mike down below the fiery pit. Immediately, the body was incinerated.

Skorne then glanced at the eight shard glasses. He picked them up and flew out the alter. Now in Sumner's main castle lobby, he looked around to see the wizard and his heroes now laying down. Behind the demon walked in his minions.

"Are they dead?" Skorne asked without looking behind him. "No, but we have greatly diminished their power." One answered. "Leave them like this. In the meantime, I shall grant each of you in the possession of these glass shards." Skorne now turned around to see them. "These are the keys to the Desecrated Temple. The only means of getting there. I will seal myself there. With the stained window glass shards in your possessions, no one will ever be able to reach me." Skorne said as he looked at each of his minions. "And make sure the runestones are hidden safely. You can never be so sure if anyone else steps up to challenge me." The minions nodded. They took some of the stones off the circle that would grant enterance to the underworld. Skorne's true place of home.

"Now, pick a realm and make sure the shields are activated once you enter. That should prevent anyone from entering the realms." The demon explained.

The eight minions immediately scrambled to a realm. And once they entered, a shield activated.

Skorne turned back around to see Sumner and his heroes still on the ground. He laughed evilly before sealing himself into the Desecrated Temple.

Now all was silent.