Mutapa as all the animals in the villages fled at the command of the horn sound. He looked around as all people watched the animals leaving them. Some of them began chasing the animals.
Mhare stood up from the ground where a hyena had been attacking him. He got minor injuries when he fell to the ground and the horn blew before the animal managed to place its jaw wherever it wished.
He looked at Mutapa who looked shocked because of what had just happened. Mhare sighed heavily and said, "Now let's see how you are going to win without your animals."
Mhare charged towards Mutapa and hit him with a fist in the face. Mutapa tried to return the punches but Mhare was too strong for him. Mutapa saw an opening through the crowds and began running towards it.
Changamire Zama took a bow and arrow and aimed at Mutapa who was fleeing. He released an arrow and flew straight into Mutapa's thigh. Mutapa tried to drag his leg and walk but Mambo Gwati picked a club and hit him in the stomach. He wanted to hit Mutapa again but several warriors quickly came and protected Mutapa because he was needed alive.
Mhare looked around and saw Muchenjeri lying on the ground. His eyes were on Mutapa who had been caught. Mhare came to Muchenjeri's side and looked at him. Blood oozed from his neck and he contiously guggled the blood filling his throat.
Mhare said, "It is done my brother. You can rest. We have got the enemy. Your blood and that of the others will be avenged."
Muchenjeri took a beeds that were on his hands and placed them into Mhare's hands. Mhare just looked at them and when he placed his eyes back on Muchenjeri's face, he was dead already. Mhare closed his eyes and rose to his feet as women began singing songs of victory.
The warriors took a wooden pole and tied Mutapa around it. They were ordered to strike him for a moment with whips. Mutapa never let out any sound when these men beat him but his eyes communicated his pain.
The warriors carried Mutapa as he hung from the pole and took him to the king's compound. People spat and cursed him as he passed by them. Some even hit him but the warriors managed to keep him away from them.
A group of women accompanied by the Queen and the Princess sang songs of victory as they followed those who carried Mutapa. The majority of the people joined behind them and sang all the way to the king's compound.
The warriors were ordered to throw him in one of the huts and it was quickly surrounded by men who wanted to protect that hut. The people gathered as they wondered what was going to happen to Mutapa.
Changamire Zama stood in front of them and said, "Mutapa will be kept here until tomorrow when he will be questioned for his actions. For now, we have to rest from the battle, mourn our beloved brothers and sisters who fell today and wait for tomorrow."
The people sang a little longer before they dispersed back to the villages. Warriors from the other kingdoms were given shelter by some villagers whilst the others occupied the king's compound. The other three king's became guests of Changamire Zama.
Mhare looked around the hut where Mutapa was kept and often watched the warriors guarding the hut. "We have got him, my love. You can go and rest. You fought well," Princess Ruva said as she approached him.
Mhare turned around to face her and memories of her fighting in the battle crossed his mind. "Why did you come to the battle? You could have gotten killed." Mhare said as he took her behind the hut.
"We had to help, Mhare. We couldn't just sit and wait for Mutapa to kill all of you. There's nothing to worry about, I am still alive," Princess Ruva said as she smiled.
"Don't do that again. Where's Tanaka I haven't seen her?" Mhare asked.
"She's mourning over the death of Muchenjeri. They were beginning to love each other and now he is gone," Ruva responded.
"I will see her later. She must be down," Mhare said.
Ruva nodded before saying, "She will be fine. So what now?"
Mhare sighed and said, "I don't know. Your father and the other kings will judge the man tomorrow."
Ruva slapped Mhare on the shoulder a little and said, "I am talkinhmg about us."
Mhare chuckled in embarassment and said, "I will marry you after this chaos has died down. But I am still waiting to hear from your father concerning the matter."
"He spoke to me when you were recovering. He asked me to be your wife and I agreed. So you have nothing to fear. I know you still fear my father over this matter but he has approved our marriage. Now, you have to rest," Ruva said.
Mhare nodded and left to attend the discussion that was going on in the king's court. "So what are we going to do with this man?" Mambo Gwati asked as Mhare entered.
"He has to be killed for the blood he shed in all our kingdoms. He deserves a painful death," Mambo Tenda of the Zezuru kingdom said.
"But we need to get answers from him. We can't just let the man die without giving him an opportunity to speak. There are questions that need answers," Mambo Wasu said.
"Of course we know why he attacked us. Ten days ago he approached our kingdom. He is a man seeking to avenge the death of Murape," Changamire Zama joined in.
They all knew Murape and how he had caused a rebellion of sangomas in all of their kingdoms. He wanted to kill all of these kings and become ruler but they quickly overpowered him and put him to death.
"What has Mutapa have in connection with Murape?" Mambo Gwati asked.
"He claims to be Murape's son. He says his name is Kanga and he wants to avenge his father's death. It explains why he attacked all of us at once," Changamire Zama said.
"Murape was not innocent. He killed a lot of people during his time of terror. He scared people and forced them to acknowledge him as king. There's nothing to avenge about that man's death. He deserved to die and Mutapa will fall into the same fate as his father," Mambo Tenda argued.
"I agree with you there. Mutapa has done much damage to our kingdoms than his beloved father. Like I said before, we need to questiom the man in front of the people so that he can explain everything to them," Mambo Wasu added.
"Then we have to keep him here until tomorrow. And his horn must be destroyed now. You never know what may happen," Changamire Zaid said.
Mutapa was taken out of the hut where he was locked. The king, the elders and the warriors gathered around him. A fire was made and some warriors were told to whip him again.
After the beating, they stripped him of the beads, the lion's head, and washed the painting on his face. A fire was made and these things were burnt as Mutapa watched. Changamire Zama came forth with the horn and Mutapa fidgeted when he saw the horn.
"This is the end of your witchcraft. Let's see how you are going to operate without the horn," Changamire Zama said and placed the horn on the ground.
"You don't know what you are doing. The ancestors will punish you for this!" Mutapa said as he tried to free himself from the pole but in vain.
"The same ancestors gave you into our hand for a reason. These are just words of a desperate man who can't watch his power being destroyed," Mambo Gwati said.
Changamire Zama motion to a young warrior who then brought a huge stone to him. Changamire Zama raised the stone over his head. "You are not worthy to destroy that horn. Only I have the power to destroy it. You will die for doing this," Mutapa said as he fidgeted.
Mambo Tenda quickly walked towards Mutapa and hit him on the back with a club. Mutapa groaned in pain but the pain was not as great as the pain in his heart. The horn was everything he had left and losing it felt like he was losing his life.
Changamire Zama dropped the stone and it smashed the horn into pieces. A brownish powder came out of the horn. Mutapa's felt his muscles going numb when he saw the horn shattering into pieces.
Tears welled up in his eyes but they failed to come out. He starred at the four kings as they picked the remnants of the horn and threw them into the fire. He watched as they as celebrated the destruction of his horn before they took him back to his hut.