"Loyalty till death," Joseb said, raising his cup of wine.
"Loyalty till death," Eleazar and Shammah echoed, also raising their cup.

They drank and emptied the rest in the fire.
Silently they stood up, each going for the same weapons. No bows, no arrows, no swords, no battle axe, no spears, just short knives.

Their mission was unofficial.

They had only heard their mentor express a desire unconsciously and they made up their minds to fulfil it or die trying.

They waited till the Sun went down and then walked down the hill towards the valley where their sworn enemies were camped. Their enemies outnumbered them - 500 to one. And their target was right in the middle of enemy territory.

As they got closer to the camp of their enemies, they went into stealth mode, all three drew their knives and melted into the darkness.

The three guards at the entrance of the camp died smiling, their throats sliced open as they joked about their latest sexual conquests.

Their aim was not to start a full blown fight, they just wanted to reach the well, draw water and get out alive.

So it was one blow, one down.

In simpler terms, one fatal blow per person, no repeat strike.
So they moved from tent to tent, any of the enemy solider outside his tent, asleep or awake, died, silently. Either their throat was sliced or neck broken. It was a noiseless killing spree.

They got to the well, drew the water into the animal skin water bottle and left the camp. They left the same way they came, killing anyone unfortunate enough to stray into their path.

There was no official body count, but rumors has it that each of them killed more one hundred soldiers.

30 minutes later, they were walking back up the hill towards the Cave of Adullam.

King David saw them coming and drew his sword.

"Friend or foe," he called out to them.
"Sire, it is us, thy loyal servants," responded Joseb.
"Where are you coming from?" King David asked, sheathing his sword.

Shammah knelt on one knee, held the animal skin bottle above his head and said, "sire, here is the water from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate."
Eleazar added, "sire, we heard when you said, 'oh that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate.' So we went to give the drink for you."
"Haa," exclaimed King David, "you guys broke through the camp of the Philistines to draw water from the well of Bethlehem."
"Yes, we did sire," the three of them chorused.

King David took the water bottle and poured it out as an offering to God, saying, "there is no way, God, that I'll drink this! This isn't mere water, it's their life blood - they risked their very lives to bring it."

So David refused to drink it.

Written by King Olulu, not from Zulu
Inspired by King David from the tribe of Judah
Source code: 2 Samuel 23: 1-17