I'm so very sorry for not updating for so long. I was at one stage writing about five stories at once so I put this on hiatus for a while. Someone put me down as their favourite author thanks to this story and so it's motivated me to write some more. Here's the seventh chapter and the seventh Espada...

7. Intoxication

SOMEWHERE IN CENTRAL AFRICA EVEN FURTHER BACK IN TIME:

I hear them outside with their backstabbing words.

"Can we really trust him? I heard he's a demon..."

"Yes but he may prove useful against the Moiji tribe."

"I'm not sure either but I've heard the tales from other villages."

They are right to fear me but their right to worship me as well. Zom Rollroux I have been named and I am a demon.

I was born into the Gamuta tribe twenty-five years ago. I was always told from my parents that we of the Gamuta tribe are often hunted down like witches due to our demonic blood. I never knew of such spiritual creatures until the militias arrived. They would take the first born son and daughter from each family working one at a time and returning by the week or month. We always feared which child would be taken next but the militia insisted they were witches and had to be 'purified'.

And so by my twelfth year of life my nightmare was revealed. As the oldest son it was now my turn. The militia showed no mercy as they dislocated my shoulder grabbing me away from my crying family. My mother would be devastated, my father was fearful if we did not cooperate and my three sisters were screaming my name.

Then the demon in me kicked in.

My vision sharpened as I gazed into the eyes of one of the militia. He instantly released his grip and trembled in fear. Why would a man with a gun fear a harmless boy? Suddenly he faced his gun and shot himself in the face. Blood rained from his headless body as it stained the other men.

"Kill him! He is the demon!" They shout but my vision sharpens again and I feel soft watery tissue develop on my hands. The three men grasped their heads and jerked their necks aggressively – ending their life.

What have I done...?

I had been saved by the demon but I could no longer live with my family as a result; it would just lead to more demon hunts.

-----

I travelled many years, trying to live with other tribes but news spread across the jungle that I was cursed. Even now in the Hunjabiwii tribe my stay seems almost over and my nomadic life will resume.

"Oh no here they are!" I hear one of the elders as they retreat to their huts. It must be their rivals: the Moiji tribe. If I can help them defeat the enemy they will surely accept me.

I step out of my hut and notice the row of berserker men. They adorn wicked red and white masks and are aiming spears at us. I see our tribesmen quickly all to their spears but now' the time to test my power.

I flex my body as I unleash my hypnotic spell. Eyes protrude from my hands and other extremities until all of the Moiji are possessed by my trance. I can do anything I want with them now as I have stolen their will.

They drop their spears and stand idle as the Hunjabiwii look on confused.

"I HAVE USED THE SPELL, ATTACK NOW!" I shout over to them as they start cutting them down with their small blades. The entire Moiji clan is defeated but now they turn on me.

"You are our new enemy now!" One of them mutters as they aim a knife. It can't be helped.

"Stop!"

We all hear a strange voice as a man donned in royal clothing and a tall mask clambers into the clearing alongside a giant of a man.

"What do you travellers want?" One of the tribesmen asks.

"I want that man over their." He points with his gloved hand at me.

What does he want with me?

"You may take him at your own peril..." The leader says. "He is a demon."

"Ah! That's exactly why I want him." The masked man gives me a strange feeling and I don't feel comfortable around his presence.

"Excuse me." I interrupt. "But why should I come with you?"

The masked man waves his fingers. "Aren't you Zom Rollroux, the demon who is taunted and excluded by the tribes? If you come with us we will make you feel accepted – in fact...Rialgo." The brute slams the ground with his fist raising the earth and forming a crater. "We are all supposed 'demons' but I have a better word to describe us: Espada."

If they truly are supernatural then they should be able to fend off my demon army. I face the Hunjabiwii and catch their stares as they perform my bidding. "Kill the demons!" They charge forth with their weapons out.

"Mr. Rialgo." The masked man seems unperturbed by the onslaught. The giant hooks his arm taking down the front row of men. He then slams the ground raising the rest before blowing them several metres away.

"So you really are demons then." I say impressed. "I will gladly join you."

"I'm glad we could reach an agreement...My names Aaron Aaronson by the way and this man here is Yamao Rialgo."

-----

Aaron and Yamao guide me through the scrub until we reach a small runway with a small plane running. We must be travelling far.

An equally strange looking man with flowing pink hair leaps from the plane. His glasses look beautiful and appear to be made of ivory.

"So this is the new one then Boss?" He says in an accent I've never heard before yet they all sound different.

"Yes Zyaekof...He is our seventh Espada."

"Splendid." He stretches his hands before rubbing them together. "I look forward to working with you."

I'm curious to the 'seventh' reference. "Aaron...you say seventh? Are their more of us and where does that number come from."

"Allow me to answer." Zyaekof wipes his glasses. "But first let's get on this plane, we have quite a distance to travel you know!"

-----

"So what you're saying is that there are ten of us Espada and we are numbered according to..."

"Well we're not fully sure what exactly the number represents..." Zyaekof answers as he pilots the plane. "But once we collect the remaining Espada then we may work it out."

"Why have I never heard of this number?"

Aaron answers from behind. "It is only recorded in old literature which we found in Jerusalem on our travels." He leans forward and I hear a swishing sound which sounds like liquid but I ignore it. "The texts outline the prophecy that by the second millennia's end ten souls will awaken and restore balance to the plagued world."

"What balance?"

"Lately the world has entered crisis point, overpopulation, poverty, environmental destruction, war; our purpose is to quell the apocalypse by controlling humanity."

"But I am just one person."

"Ah! That is why we are devoted to finding these remaining Espada whose names have been etched in this book." He shows me a tattered brown book. "It says your name along with mine, Yamao's and even Zyaekof's."

"Amazing." I am overwhelmed with this information.

"And furthermore it mentions that we Espada are each embodiments of an aspect of death and briefly mentions our possible power." He shows me a page with my name written down. "It say's here that you, Zom, are the embodiment of intoxication and can hypnotise others with your enchanted eyes.

This old book knows everything about me!

"So what are your comrade's powers then?" I ask curiously but he shuts the book and puts it away.

"I think we'll reveal that later on..."

More and more about the chosen Espada is being revealed. But let's go back even further with the next chapter as we get accustomted to the Mad scientist Zyaekof Grantz (Szyayel Aporro Grantz). What twisted power could he have obtained? Next chapter will reveal that and more...