John stood on the battlefield as he peered at the king’s army. He frowned at what he saw. His wife and Pete shared his feelings as they looked at the paltry state of the army sent to defend the entrance to the capital where the royal family lived. It was an excellent strategy, John had to admit, but it was useless in this case.
“They want us to sully our reputation by slaughtering the peasants they forced to take up arms,” Lydia explained.
“Well, we can’t just let them manipulate our future people for their own selfish means.” Pete smiled as he patted John’s shoulder.
“I’ll get them to stand down. Leo, you take out the leaders that are there to ensure the peasants don’t just flee.” John replied.
“Couldn’t think of an easier job to do.” Leo spun his spinning blades.
“Golden Snakes, head out,” Pete ordered.
John led his men toward the army of peasants at a leisurely pace to not frighten the peasants into attacking out of fear for their lives. He still had to speak with them to get them to stand down and hopefully reveal the King’s knights, forcing them to fight a battle they had no interest in fighting. Hydra wasn’t a name that the kingdom didn’t know of. Hydra was a name that inspired hope, joy, and relief amongst the peasants in the kingdom. Even the peasants under King Andrew’s direct rule have heard of the amazing group, Hydra. Thanks to the efforts of the bishops, monks, and nuns inside the capital.
As the Golden Snakes approached the army that held far more numbers than they did, they could see the peasants shaking in fear. Their gilded armor designed with the Hydra’s sigil brightly shined in the sun-lit sky. When they arrived some distance away from the peasant army, they heard multiple shouts to charge. Just as the fear of death was about to drive them mad and send them spiraling forward, John took charge of the situation.
“Halt!” His voice seemed to reach every person on the battlefield. “Stand down innocent farmers, tradesmen, and youths. Hydra is not here to harm you but to save you.” John’s words calmed the frenzied aura previously held by the army.
“Charge, or we will kill the traitors to the Kingdom!” A voice shouted, forcing a young man to run forward.
“Point out those that would force innocent people to their death, and we will help you return home without a single injury.” John offered.
John’s reasonable words instantly took the peasants who didn’t want to be here in the first place. Instead of fighting a hopeless battle against a group they liked, why not help the group they liked? They looked a lot stronger than them, anyway. What could a bunch of commoners like themselves do against a trained army with proper weapons, armor, horses, and tactics?
John’s words lit a spark within the repressed majority. The peasants captured those that the King sent to kill them if they didn’t fight. Some lost their lives trying to fight against the trained knights, but in the end, the troublemaking leaders were swiftly killed or captured. Leo killed the more resistant ones while the peasants captured the ones who couldn’t handle being surrounded. Once the King's knights were captured, John, with his giant flail, killed them one by one.
“Please stay here and wait till we end King Andrew’s tyranny. Hydra will bring peace and comfort to everyone within the kingdom! This is my promise! Commoners will no longer be treated as toys and playthings by nobles but as individuals with heard voices and protected rights. Just as the laws protect the nobles, they shall now protect you and your families as well. No one will be above the law! Not even the king himself!” John shouted.
The peasants roared out in support of John’s words. “Let us support you, Hydra! To take down the greedy, selfish king! Some people were so inspired that they wanted to help out. However, John shook his head. “I thank you for your brave words, but leave this type of fighting to us. It is enough for Hydra that you all are willing to stand behind us even during these trying times. Please continue supporting us as we strive for justice, fairness, and comfort for all. Spread the word of our actions once this is all over. That is my only request.” John pleaded.
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They only had to talk about Hydra’s righteous actions after this was all over? They didn’t have to risk their lives or anything but just spread the word? That was too easy, wasn’t it? Was that really enough to make up for Hydra risking their lives to bring peace to the kingdom? The commoners didn’t get an answer as the Golden Snakes charged forward toward the royal city where King Andrew’s true army was waiting for them.
King Andrew’s true army came flooding out of the gates, perched on top of the city walls, and ready to defend the king with their lives, unlike the army before. This was going to be a true battle. There was no time for talking, negotiations, or anything of the sort. An army rushed at the Golden Snakes with superior numbers, along with arrows prepared to fly overhead.
Since John’s wife was away, he shouted orders for his men to follow. Orders to help them survive in the battle. John was at the head of the charge alongside his best friend Leo and his longest comrades. With each swing of his giant flail, three or more knights would fall. His armored horse, which was far larger than any war horse should be, killed any infantry by stomping them to death.
Through John’s charge, the Golden Snakes managed to cut through hundreds of men before the desperate combined forces of the King’s army and his loyal Lords halted their momentum. It turned their brash charge forward against them as the nearly split enemy army turned inward to surround and choke them to death. Slowly, they were being forced backward. At this turn of the battle, John ordered them to fall back as he protected their backs. Leo stood next to his side, killing just as many or even more knights as he was.
As John crushed any knights that neared him one by one, Leo tossed his spinning blades and de-limbed any knight that looked like they were shouting orders within his eyesight. The two most famous figures within Golden Snakes were covered in blood, surrounded by corpses, and frightened the knights around them into quivering messes. Eventually, their men managed to break through the encirclement, and they were successfully retreating. The King’s army just watched as John and Leo ensured that no one had any ideas to stop them by standing their ground and simply staring at the enemy army.
Once their men were safely out, John and Leo left without anyone trying anything. Of course, once they made it a safe distance away from the King’s army, they filled the skies with raining arrows. It surprised John to see the enemy had the same idea as them. Arrows came flying down on both armies as the rest of Hydra finally caught up.
John didn’t bother protecting himself, thanks to the armor given to him by Lord Feedback, but instead stood in front of his men, who were too slow to react. Leo spun his spinning blades and easily deflected any arrows that came flying toward him. After the first clash, the Golden Snakes lost some men, but in comparison to the hell they caused for the King’s army. John thought it was an acceptable loss.
Hydra shot their arrows toward both the King’s army and the castle walls. Along with the arrows came a bunch of fun devices his wife and Pete were excited to use again so soon. Multiple catapults came rolling over the horizon. John and his snakes joined up with the other Heads to regroup before charging at the King’s army while arrows continued to fly.
However, now they had giant stones destroying the castle walls. John smiled as their job got a hell of a lot simpler. “All we need to do is kill them! Once they’re dead, the kingdom is ours!” John shouted. Hydra shouted with a bloodthirsty cheer as they rushed forward.
It was a complete slaughter. Hydra ripped through the king’s army like they were children. If facing against the Golden Snakes was a struggle, then facing all of Hydra together was like trying to stop a force of nature. Man did not beat nature. He only did his best to survive against it.
However, survival against Hydra? There wasn’t a strategy in the world that could stop the onslaught of bandits tearing them apart. They took no survivors, even from those who surrendered. The battlefield was a mixture of death, madness, and terror.
The King’s army, which had been sitting on its laurels for years, stood no chance against the ever-growing army of Hydra that had never stopped expanding since John’s recruitment. Sure, they may have trained in preparation for fighting a mere mercenary band, but Hydra was no mere mercenary group. They haven’t been for a long time. It was King Andrew’s willful ignorance that caused the downfall of his army today. It was also that ignorance that led Hydra straight to his throne room with him at their mercy.