Hey, been a while since I was here... and been a long while since I played the game. So I'll just try to help out. He said soldiers is on the right track, and whatever the answer is, gives you the "spoils" without a fight. It could be animate or inanimate. And then later you fight the same type of thing, but blue. Obviously whatever you fight is animate..

My guess is that the answer is soldiers that for some reason just give you an item, without a fight. Maybe you talk to them, maybe they're knocked out and you steal the item, and either way you end up fighting some blue soldiers later.

I'd give a specific guess but it's been so long that I can't remember such a thing happening. If this sparks anyone's memory, by all means, guess!

[edit] Okay, a rudimentary guess: someone in the beginner's hall that you talk to and gives you an item?