"The Imperial Guards claim to accept all who pass the entry test. I passed, yet I run a store in the rundown trenches of a country far from home" - Unknown
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Callum found himself paired with the bald man, Twelve, and Fifty-Eight the female soldier.
Although they had undergone some training in the past month, it was only the basics, and a month was hardly enough time to learn thoroughly. However, the presence of Fifty-Eight gave them an edge as she already had survival training from the Army.
Sitting together under the shade of a large tree, they slowly feasted on their packaged food, their eyes trained on a camp ahead of them.
"Something has been bugging me" Twelve spoke up as he swallowed a mouthful.
Noticing Callum and Fifty-Eight turn to him, he continued.
"If everyone is accepted after the entry test and most become Place Guards, why isn't there more of them?"
"Not everyone becomes Palace Guards" Callum frowned.
Twelve stared at him waiting for an explanation but none was forthcoming, he helplessly turned to Fifty-Eight who forced a smile.
"Passing the entry test gets you a month of training and into the Battle Phase, failing the Battle Phase still gets you into training as a Palace Guard. Not making it through that training. . . They'll find other uses for you. In reality, very few make it through the training to become Decorations. Those so-called decorations will destroy any army even if they are outnumbered 5 to 1."
"To not even make it through the Palace Guard training" the bald man shook his head.
"Must be humiliating"
Callum almost scoffed, that was the effect of the Seventh Captain's indoctrination. Who says everyone who applied to join the Imperial Guards truly wanted to be part of it? Many actually came for the gold coins; he was one example. Failing the Palace Guard phase was a way out! They'd only need to provide some labor services till their debts are paid off.
"Remember that we will continue training with everyone for the next five months, this Battle Phase only gives us credits, we will not be able to tell if we passed or not until the end of the five months of training". Fifty-Eight explained further.
"Then let's take out as many enemies as possible" Twelve seemed eager to go.
"That's step one on how to become a decoration," Callum scoffed.
"Passing this Battle Phase doesn't depend on how many you take out. Remember, you are not a soldier"
Indeed, the Seventh Captain had long given them all what they needed to pass the Battle Phase.
The trio continued watching the camp until night fell, they had no plans of returning to their camp. As the fewest among all camps with only nine members, they recognized that staying together offered no protection against other groups but would only make them more conspicuous. More than that, their campsite would be a very attractive location for all others.
"What's the plan? Blitz attacks?" Twelve asked in a low voice as they peered into the camp at the training retainers.
"No, Imperial Guards are figures of authority and control. We need something fitting for that identity" Fifty-Eight suggested.
"Thinking too much might be counterproductive" Callum warned feeling that this female soldier was thinking too far ahead.
Fifty-Eight turned to glance at him and offered a subtle nod acknowledging his warning.
"We still need to pass the Battle Phase, meaning, we need to fight." Twelve muttered.
"I have an idea" Callum spoke up at this time and the others turned to him. They discussed deep into the night and soon, it was morning.
The large camp was a Mentor camp and had about 20 Recruits. As the sun rose over the horizon casting a blue hue on the entire forest area, the camp of recruits split into two groups of 10, one stayed behind to guard the camp while the others set out seemingly to hunt.
A few meters back, Callum and Twelve trailer along, the female soldier nowhere to be found.
"You really think we stand a chance in this Battle Phase?" Twelve asked visibly fidgeting.
Callum glanced at him and nodded.
"We will," he replied curtly.
Twelve smiled helplessly at the boy's confidence and continued trailing along. As they walked, he noticed something odd. Callum wasn't walking in a straight line, instinctively, he would walk behind trees or shrubs as if hiding from anyone looking back. Just as he was about to speak up, he noticed a flash of light up ahead.
Callum saw the light as well and in that very second, his body dropped to the ground, he did a roll, hiding under a shrub instantly disappearing.
Twelve was sharp as well and hid behind a tree trunk.
Barely ten minutes later, sounds of a clash came from up ahead as the female soldier dropped down from a tree beside the shrub Callum was hiding in.
"Two groups met, roughly same number, get ready" she whispered loud enough for Twelve to hear as he wasn't too far from them.
The clash didn't last long, barely a few minutes passed when figures began running towards them. An intuitive person would notice the ones running in front where panicked while those behind wore expressions of exhilaration.
Fifty-Eight was long out of sight and the group caught up in their own game had no time to observe and notice Twelve.
The first group at the forefront soon ran past the spot where the trio was hiding. As the chasing group pursued past, a leg stretched out from the shrub Callum had crawled into tripping one of the pursuers!
At the same time, Twelve and Fifty-Eight sprang into action, each choosing a target.
Callum leapt out from the shrub at the recruit now on the ground, he kicked mercilessly knocking him out instantly. Without hesitation, he stripped the recruit of his armor and put it on. The three finished their makeover at the same time and began a sprint after the others now a few meters ahead.
Their speed was ace faster than the other Recruits, especially Callum who seemed like he was flying even with metal armor on. Catching up with the last person from the pursuing group, he aimed a sharp blow at the back of his head knocking him down instantly.
"Who the hell are you?" Another recruit noticed his colleague going down and he raised an alarm but Callum was not done. The young boy's eyes were steady, his expression steely as he moved gracefully slashing his blunt sword at his opponent.
The recruit did not expect such a decisive attack, just as he was about to receive it a stone from Baldy hit him square in the face causing him to stumble. Callum seized the chance hand smacked him on the cheek with the flat side of his sword sending the Recruit to the ground.
As Twelve caught up, the two looked ahead to see Fifty-Eight dropping from a tree onto another Recruit, there was barely a struggle as she did away with him in seconds.
Instantly, they stripped off the metal armor and once again disappeared from the forest.
In the distance, in a hidden corner, two Mentors stood watching the entire scene with mouths agape.
"What just happened?" One, a blonde man asked the other who refused to put down the binoculars.
"Two predators in one batch," the Mentor with the binoculars muttered in a low tentative voice.
"We need to report this quickly" the other urged and they both hurried off.