Mad Court: Ch. 4 The Apostles of Volis

The clouds began to roll in concentric circles before roaring up towards a central point in the sky. The wind seemed heavier as it blew wildly, wrecking everything in its vicinity. Chairs, equipment, and curtains, all got sucked into a void that was getting created in the sky.

“What’s going on?” Vanya stepped from behind her keyboard.

Kai couldn’t believe his eyes. A black hole, a size of a coin, generated electricity from within, striking the ground with a large thunder. The attendees, shouting in panic, had tried to run in all directions but were gradually drifting up. Kai’s own feet were losing their footing but he was too astonished watching their frantic expressions. People ran as hard as they could, trying to get away from being caught in the tempest.

“What the hell?” Kai could sense fear and anxiety in Robyn’s words.

Kai looked at his band and their horrified faces. “I have no clue. But it doesn’t look good,” he said.

Just then, Kai’s feet lost their battle with the ground and he found himself being pulled towards the sky. The storm had reached him.

“Fuck!” Everyone yelled.

The microphone, the stage lights, even Zara’s drum kit began to float into the wormhole. Like an iron piece to a magnet, Kai couldn’t stop himself from being washed away. He had no control over his body. He tried to grab hold onto something but his grasp kept slipping away due to the dew in the air. He finally managed to grab onto the edge of the stage that had a handle bar attached to it. Though he wanted to gasp in relief, he knew there was no time as he looked up and saw Vanya soaring away from him.

“Vanya!” he shouted. Stretching his body, he grabbed Vanya’s hand and tightened his hold around it. “Ah!” Pain surged through his body as it felt like it was being ripped into two.

“Kai!” Vanya simpered.

“Don’t let go,” Kai screamed. As he pulled Vanya towards him, he noticed Zara floating in the air. Her screams lost in the racket of the whirlwind. “No!” he whispered. She was halfway into the void when he noticed Robyn leaping towards her. Robyn had somehow managed to tie a wafting curtain around his waist and a steel truss girder on the stage. Grabbing her by her waist, he held her close. Even though they were still in the air, Kai was astounded by Robyn’s athleticism.

Cuts embellished his skin as the wind blew severely. The screams of people no longer echoed in the amphitheater. Kai wondered whether it was due to the destructive wind that he couldn’t hear them or was it because they no longer were there.

Just like how it all began, it suddenly settled down. The storm had subsided and the clouds no longer seemed possessed. Kai sighed in relief as he heard some cries and some screams behind him. The aftermath of the disaster. As he finally settled Vanya on the ground, he turned around and choked out a scream. Everything that the wormhole had sucked had begun to descend onto the ground. He immediately shut Vanya’s vision from witnessing the horror that was before them. Objects, however small or big, plummeted to the ground, smacking the crowd. Blood mixed with the steady rainfall that began to pour down.

He turned around with Vanya and watched Robyn climbing down the girder with one hand on Zara’s eyes. As he landed on the ground, Robyn and he shared a look. The look that spoke their despair and trauma. Kai’ breath was ragged and he could feel tremors in his hand. Light sizzles on his fingertips. The adrenaline had jostled down and fear took its place. Robyn hopped down the stage with Zara when a light beam emitted from the sky and struck the stage.

Everyone near the purlieu blew back a couple of feet away. Jade Maniacs were knocked onto elevated steps. Pain swelled up from his back from where he had hurt himself. He lifted his hand to dodge the glare from the light that shone so bright. When it dissipated, Kai noticed four people standing in the middle of the stage. Creases formed on Kai’s forehead.

He heard Zara groan beside him. Agony etched on her face. “Who the hell is that?” she whispered, still groaning. She had her one eye trained on the four, mysterious people. Kai got on his feet, his bones cracking as he walked towards the edge of the stage. “Kai!” Zara let out a pleading squeak.

He looked over his shoulder and nodded slowly. He didn’t move further. He watched the people that had suddenly appeared.

“Wow, this is a good stage. I mean, it could have been better but I like it,” A girl in a short spikey hair that’s adorned with jewels. Her dual coloured sheer dress was skin tight. The transparency was at the just the right places, enhancing her pale blue skin.

The man in the middle with a rather large build scoffed. “I expected better. This is a disaster. Look at this mess.” He shook his head in disapproval.

“Well, what did you expect? Flowers?” The young girl spoke.

“No, but this is unacceptable.” The man pouted.

“Excuse me,” Kai interjected their banter. “Who are you?”

The man turned around and grinned viciously as he stared at Kai. “Behold, earthlings! Your time is up. We, The Pyrexia, shall take over what is yours.” The young girl smacked her face as she groaned softly.

Kai’s jaw dropped. “Pirexia? Who? What? Why are you here?” As he spoke, his hands trembled in fear. He watched the man walk closer to him.

His skin was a shade of light grey and his orange hair was styled in a Mohawk. Barbell piercings covered three-fourth of his nose bridge. The man cocked his head to the side. “The name is Vinoc and this is my band.”

“Your band?” Zara asked. Kai was taken aback. He hadn’t sensed her next to him. “Hold up! Don’t tell you’ve come here to participate in the Mad Court Festival?” she asked as she clutched her side.

“Aye, we have,” A voice behind Vinoc spoke. An older girl walked up and stood next to Vinoc. And oddly she was beautiful. Kai wanted to smack himself for having improper thoughts at the moment but her doe-like, silver-green eyes stared at him with a noticeable desire. Her silver hair cascaded down her shoulders and whenever she would move her head, Kai’s eyes would get mesmerized by its ethereal glow. She looked a lot like the younger one. He wondered whether they were related.

“Apologies for my friend here. He isn’t quite… sociable. We have travelled far to become the Mad Court. Just like you have,” The girl spoke. Her voice was as melodic as her hair. Almost soothing to hear.

“And where are you from?” Kai asked.

“Onilles,” Vinoc answered.

Zara chuckled darkly. “You say like we understand where that is.”

“It’s where we are from. From the Apollion Galaxy, Onilles is a planet similar to Earth.” The girl explained. “And now we would like to join the festival and become the Mad Court.”

“Um, sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart. But this festival is for the ‘humans’ and not alien races,” Zara commented.

Like a lightning bolt, a hand wrapped around Zara’s neck. Kai gasped as he turned around to face them. The girl narrowed her eyes at Zara while a menacing expression cast on her face. “It wasn’t a permission, sweetheart. As the Apostles of Volis, we are destined to travel on a journey to become the greatest musicians of all universes.”

“And if you don’t?” Kai asked slowly.

She tilted her head a bit to look over her shoulder and at him. “We leave. No harm done.” She pulled back her hand and Zara collapsed on the ground, coughing and wheezing for breath. Kai wanted to take a step forward to help her but the girl was already standing an inch away from him. “But that’s never happened. All worlds have crumbled to our feet. And this one will be ours too.”

“Yours?” Kai breathed. “What do you mean?”

The girl flicked back a loose strand of his hair back and trailed a claw-like nail against his face. A sting burned his cheek where her nail raked through. She licked the blood on her long manicured nail. “We are conquerors. Through battles, we take worlds and its resources. Living and non-living alike. And this world will be just like others. Unless,” She began to trot backwards. A smirk stretched upon her lips.

“We beat you,” Kai stated.

The smirk grew longer while Vinoc laughed darkly. “You are smart for an earthling. No wonder you’re the undisputed champions, the reigning Mad Court,” The girl said. Kai frowned. “Yes, we have heard of you. Undefeated three years in a row. Known as Devils of Rock. Curious how you’ve done that.” Her toothy grin widened wickedly. “You have till the end of the Festival to save your planet. I’m looking forward to our battle.”

The light beamed again and zapping them away. As soon as they were out of sight, Kai’s knees buckled and he dropped to the ground. The ominous eyes haunted his vision.

“What in the new hell is this?” he whispered to himself.