Jonathan's Soul

Adjudicator Gram lowered his lantern as he watched the approach of Caliph Friar and a third Order soldier he didn't recognize. The soldier raised his fist and thumped it against his chest plate.

"Probate Michaels, sir, I'm honored..."

Gram cut him off, "We've got a real big problem coming and little time.  You look particularly green, is this your first time on a Soulfield?"

The Probate nodded, "Outside of the simulators, but I scored top marks in all..."

Gram waved his hand, "Your marks don't matter."

The flame of Gram's lantern burst into brilliant white light, illuminating the red walls of an enormous cavern veined with pulsing blue tubes.  Close below the surface of a pool of motionless liquid was an object that's shimmering, flickering motion defied description.

Gram addressed the Probate, "What is a Soulfield?"

"A container inside of each human heart that..."

"And that body of liquid you see there?"

"The human's personality; this one is quite shallow, which..."

"And at the bottom?"

"The human's soul, which we protect from the Bedlam."

Gram nodded to Friar, "He knows the basics, hope he fights better than the last Probate."

Friar offered a wry smile, "What's up Gram, you said there was 'big trouble'."

Gram flattened his hand and a square of light appeared that resolved itself into the image of a young man.

"This is Jonathan, the human who's Soulfield we defend," Gram said, "His soul is being targeted for corruption, likely due to its purity and the small number of Soul Guards defending it.  It seems they aren't taking any chances with this one, they're sending the Five to corrupt it."

"Are you sure?" Friar asked.

"The Bedlam Fetcher that I put down earlier seemed certain. They will likely be led by Fillion, a fallen Soul Guard."

"Filthy betrayer," Friar spat.

"We need backup," the Probate interjected

"You are the backup." Gram shrugged.

"Three Soul Guards against the Five Bedlam Chieftains!?  That's suicide. Why wouldn't the Order send backup?"

"To them, Jonathan isn't worth much," Gram replied.

"Then why die defending the soul of a human the Order doesn't value?"

"Because, he's a good person, and I will never yield a good person to the Bedlam.  If I die to save his soul from defilement, then I die honorably.  If you cannot die for the cause, Probate, you should not be a Soul Guard.  Run, while there is still time."

"Time's up," Friar interjected casually.   

Five shapes, each a mass of darkness without definition, emerged from the wall on the far side of the cavern.

"Ah, Adjudicator Gram," said the largest.

Gram stepped forward, "Be gone from this place, Fillion. You have not, and will never, defile a soul on my watch."

"You stopped me centuries ago, Adjudicator, but now I am not alone," replied the creature, as it stepped forward into the light of Gram's lantern.

Gram set his feet and raised his lantern.

"For Jonathan!" he cried as he leapt forward into battle.