August 10, 1841
Torino, Italy
The mindless legions of Zombie Napoleon wandered aimlessly through the battered streets of Torino. The ground was littered with dead men and horses from both sides, evident of the horrendous battle that had been fought here. Even more dead men and machines lay strew about the plains outside of the city.
To the North and South, in Chambery and Nice, the beaten soldiers of Sardinia-Piedmont were in terrified retreat in the face of the Zombie Emperor's armies. The eyes of the world were upon France and its seemingly effortless victory.
Nevertheless, the Sardinia-Piedmontese still harbored a fire of resistance in their hearts. They would stop at nothing to see the French invaders beaten back. However, Bonaparte had discovered a much easier way to defeat his enemy than to kill every last one of them...
Imprisoned before him was the King of Sardinia-Piedmont, Charles Albert. In the Italian Kingdom, his word was law to the humble farmers or townsfolk. Napoleon would now turn that against him. Using his hypnotic power, the Undead Emperor first siezed control of the King's mind, and then amplified his brain waves to transmit to all of the Sardinia-Piedmontese: "Surrender. Drop your weapons. Submit to Napoleon. Surrender. Drop your weapons..."
All across the Italian Kingdom, soldiers and civilians alike had the flames of nationalistic resistance snuffed out of them. They were now among the many mindslaves of Zombie Napoleon...
August 15, 1841
Buckingham Palace, London
The young messenger cautiously approached the throne. "Your Majesty...Sardinia-Piedmont has fallen to France. They have given up everything to Napoleon...their land, homes and their souls."
"That is...unfortunate," said an unseen voice. Wellington stepped out of the shadows in the Imperial Throne Room.
"Yes," another voice, this one from the throne itself, "unfortunate indeed."
Queen Victoria rose from the throne, and without warning, lightning sprang from her fingertips, striking the messenger in the chest. He was dead in an instant. The Queen of England turned to Wellington. She spoke slowly and clearly, "You will go to France. Find and destroy Napoleon at all costs. He must be stopped before more nations fall under French influence."
Wellington bowed. "Yes, your Majesty. And...by the way," he pointed at the charred corpse of the messenger, "was that really necessary?"
A cruel grin crossed Victoria's face. "No."