Unkl Rumpo had despatched his younger brother (and Isangoma) Shak Y'aButay, to raise fresh forces to replace his depleted ranks following last year's devastating civil war.
Having raised fully 9 regiments of young recruits Shak Y'aButay marched out to meet up with his brother.
As they approached the site of the previous year's battle the young warriors singing fell silent. They were all familiar with the stories of this land being cursed by the traitorous Desmond Tetsi, and hoped to pass by without waking the dead. It was not to be. Out of the morning mist arose an army to chill the young men to the bone led by 3 witches loyal to Tetsi.
24 point battle
Tetsi's Risen Dead
Cabal of Witches - Regular Foot, Wizardling
Ravenous Wolves - Lesser Warbeast
Ghosts - Heavy Foot, Invisible, Undead (No Feelings)
Skeleton Crossbowmen - Heavy Missiles, Undead (No Feelings)
Skeleton Warriors x2 - Light Foot, Undead (No Feelings)
Zulus
Shak Y'aButay - Light Foot, Short Range Missiles, Wizardling, Fearful
Outriders x2 - Light Riders, Short Range Missiles
Young Warriors x7 - Light Missiles, Fearful
While the Zulus massively outnumbered their foe the young warriors fear was infectious, affecting even Y'aButay.
Y'aButay drove his men forward, hoping that by fighting on the front foot his warriors would hold their nerve. It was too much to ask anyone to take on a unit of ghosts, however, so he overloaded the opposite flank, led by his outriders, in an effort to nullify their impact.
Anxious to prove their worth the riders spurred on towards the wolves while the warriors moved cautiously towards the skeletons. Only the far right of the army was unwilling to move towards the ghosts.
The skeleton crossbows moved forward in an attempt to shower the advancing riders with deadly bolts.
The riders held their nerve, however, to get into cover on the right flank of the undead army. Meanwhile the bulk of both forces closed, with only the far right of the Zulus still cowering at the thought of confronting the ghosts.
It was the undead that made the first tactical adjustment, the ghostly regiment moving with inhuman speed toward the right to intercept the flanking Zulu riders. The witches and the wolves also moved to support the ghosts' shift.
It was at this critical moment that the young Zulus hesitated, overcome with fear. In a blink the wolves and ghosts charged into the Zulu riders who had been Befuddled by the witches. The riders facing the wolves fell back in the face of a ferocious attack, but that was just an inkling of the carnage to come. The second unit of riders were utterly wiped out by the onrushing ghosts as they tried, and failed to evade their spectral foe. Stirring up their courage the leftmost warriors unleashed a hail of spears towards the wolves, forcing them to abandon their attack. Perhaps the flank had been stabilised.
It was not to be. The fearsome spectres charged on into unit after unit, utterly destroying two units of warriors for only the loss of three of the ghostly devils. To add to the Zulus despair they could see, in the distance, the wolves return to order, restored by the witches who now joined up with the skeleton forces to move in on the terrified Zulus.
Seeing a disaster about to ensue Y'aButay called up the great Juju of the mountain to smite the ghosts from the land of the living. A bolt of energy leapt from his hands and devastated the ghosts, dispelling the fell magic that bound them to the mortal plain.
The elimination of their greatest threat inspired the remaining Zulus who closed upon the remaining forces of the undead, and even when sustaining a withering barrage of crossbow fire did not break. As more of the warriors closed to within range the withering fire unleashed upon the skeleton crossbows began to tell. With the return of his riders and his remaining warriors running forward to join the fight Y'aButay considered that perhaps the worst had passed.
The furious contest continued to take a brutal toll on both armies. The skeleton crossbows were eliminated, but not before reducing a further two units of Zulu warriors to near half strength. The Zulu riders continued to round up scattered members to swell their strength once more. Surely now that the enemy's ability to shoot had been eliminated it was just a matter of mopping up?
Desperation set in to the witches as they realised they must meet the Zulus in hand to hand combat if they were to defeat them, but the Zulu firing was effective, destroying the first of the skeleton warriors, sending shockwaves through the entire undead army resulting in the wolves turning tail and fleeing - they would not be seen again.
Withering Zulu fire saw the last of the skeleton warriors destroyed, leaving only the witches to face, and yet it was still not over. Unleashing lightning from their hands a depleted unit of Zulu warriors fell and fled the field. Quickly followed by another blast directed at the riders - they too, succumbing sending another wave of fear through the Zulu ranks.
The remaining Zulu warriors and their leader, Y'aButay, steadied their nerves and advanced on the witches. Although battered and beaten they remained too numerous for the witches to overcome. Summoning one last call for assistance from the great Juju Y'aButay unleashed a dazzling blast that smote the witches, sending them back to oblivion to join the creatures they had raised.
Leaving the field with barely one third of the forces he had raised, Shak Y'aButay wept. Only a miracle could now prevent the accursed Europeans from taking their lands. As he mustering his remaining forces the Insangoma's resolve stiffened, "We have paid for these lands with our blood. So too shall the colonials."
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April 18, 2024, 01:33:50 AM
