Chapter three BANDITS AND SOLDIERS

"Ha?! Do you know what you're talking about old man. Recruiting a group of wanted criminals is the last thing a military soldier would do", Ranga said astonished of what the commander have said. "Come on, it will be great! Everything is free like food,weapons, booze and even women. By the way,I'm still in my 30s so I'm not that old", Gilbert replied at the boy. "What if I refuse your proposal"."There's no problem to that. We'll just cut your heads and put it in poles. You'll be a great scarecrow".The crimson bandits creeped out imagining what the commander said. " I need your answers now! Join us or kiss your heads goodbye!".The bandits looked at their leader, Ranga who just frowned not wanting to let their heads cut off and being fed by birds. "If I join you, will you guarantee to help us find the Azuma tribe?".The commander laughed sarcasticly, "Look kid, I can guarantee you anything. Eight out of ten soldiers in my battalion are mages. Locating someone is a piece of cake for them". The bandit was stunned to speak. His friends rejoiced with their eyes shining with hope. That was the first time Ranga saw them celebrating with wide smiles. "You really do have a heart of gold, commander than even I was touched", the Duke told the grinning commander. "You know Johansson,there is good in evil. Those kids saw how cruel the world is and darkness took them. Now they need someone to guide them and help them walk the path of life"."You always make me respect you more, commander Gilbert Wil Hawke".After a while, the soldiers and bandits became good friends. "-and the most boring squad of all is the Naval squad. They're just military coast guards waiting for an enemy ship they will destroy. After that, they always come out with a fishy smell nyahaha! ", Major Dierk said while gulping the booze that the Duke gave them. "Major! Don't be rude. What if the commander will hear you, you'll be scolded and he might exchange our duties with the Naval squad", Margaret warned nervously hoping that the commander didn't hear what their major has said. Ranga and Sebastian got along well and the girls are having a girls only party but not everyone is getting along. Conrad and Akill had a glaring contest with Ambrocius. "Hmmp, I will never be friends with the guys who hurt the major", the captain said narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean, captain Verweij? ", Austin asked confused. "Those two guys did something to major Parrish a while ago".There was a moment of silent before the whole squad started screaming. "What?!""What did you do to her, Conrad,Akill?!""You didn't hurt her right?! Please tell me you didn't hurt her because if you do I'll kill you myself". The sleeping commander woke up by the sudden noise so he went to check them. "Oi oi oi, what's with the commotion?", Gilbert asked running downstairs with his night pajamas. "These guys had done something to the major! ", Arthur complained pointing at Conrad and Akill who were silent all the time. Gilbert checked on Dierk, "There's nothing wrong with him, he just got knocked out. That happens to drunkards all the time..."."No not him! We are referring to Major Parrish.", Ambrocius said correcting the commander. "Parrish? "."Yes sire,she look so down when I saw her with these two". Gilbert scratched his head chuckling, "Parrish is like that. She rarely shows any emotions that's why she looks like that haha". Conrad frowned and Akill looked at Ambrocius with a mocking face. Gilbert was about to return to sleep when someone grabbed his shirt. "Oh Parrish! Did they disturb you?", Gilbert asked to the girl who's hiding behind him. The bandits looked closer at the girl while the soldiers got quiet. "Gil...I came to say that the higher ups sent a message to me a while ago saying that I am needed in the meeting for the next battle", the girl mumbled. Ranga, Yasui and Ashar stared at the girl in awe but was interrupted by Conrad, "Don't think of anything guys,she can read your minds just like she did to us when we confronted her". The soldiers glared at him thinking that he was being disrespectful to the major. "I told you, me reading minds was unintentional", Parrish reminded him"Idjt bandit".Conrad was flustered and furious. Gilbert patted the girl's head, "You can go, they'll be needing you there", he said with an assuring smile. Parrish nodded,turned her back and headed to the gate before calling her horse. She bowed to the Duke and saluted the commander before taking off. The next day, Gilbert woke them up early to prepare for a leave. They readied the carriage and conditioned the horses since there aren't enough horse for them because the bandits are with them. After riding at the carriage for almost two hours, they arrived to the headquarters. "I see you're back, commander Hawke", a man in his 40s greeted them. Gilbert and the squad saluted. The bandits were confused but saluted the old man too. 'He must be a high ranker', Ranga thought examining the old man and the eagle insignia embedded on his uniform. "The sun shines brighter today right, Colonel Eilhard Gustavsson", the commander greeted back. "There are some new faces with you. Who might they be, commander? ".Gilbert grinned, "I'll be enlisting them as cadets and they'll soon join my battalion"."They don't seem to be mages. I can't sense any magic in them"."Haha! No need for mages. These guys are also special as mages"."And why is that? "."Bacause they are highly spirited!", Gilbert said proudly looking at the flustered bandits. Eilhard looked closely at the kids and locked his eyes with Ranga. "You, mind if you introduce your self...", the colonel asked him. He stepped out in front of the colonel with his hands on the back and was standing still, "My name is Ranga Valhalla,twenty years old, from the Akatsuki tribe. I was once a wanted criminal but then the commander took me and my friends and promised to help us! ". The colonel was amused at the boy, "You really are high spirited. I must say, kids like you are needed in the battlefield. Oh well, Hawke you better enlist them now".Gilbert saluted again before going to the office to enlist the bandits. The Garrison squad went back to work leaving the bandits with the commander. "From now on, I will be enlisting you as cadets. Do your training well and all of you must pass. I will be waiting for you all."

Ranga Valhalla

Prances Einsfield

Ashar Amiri

Conrad Marshall

Sistine Fibel

Yasui Rigondoe

Akill Norden

Those names are known to be wanted criminals but now they are being enlisted as cadets. The crimson bandits are now gone. "When you finished your training, I will be assigning you to my battalion. Don't worry, that's a promise. We'll help you and you'll help us...I'll be waiting for you, Akatsukis".