Shereachedthetop.

Foralongmoment,Mulanstood,herchestrisingandfallingevenly.Sheturnedaround,hereyesgrowingwideasshetookinthebreathtakingviewfromthetopoftheshrine.HereyespausedasshespottedthePhoenixperchedonanearbystatue.Spreadingherfeatherswide,thePhoenixcalledoutintriumph.

PridefloodedthroughMulan.Shehaddoneit.Shehaddonewhatnomanhadbeenableto.She,Mulan,agirlfromasmallvillage,hadmadetheimpossiblepossible.Sheturnedbacktolookatthesoldiersgatheredbelow.Onlythen,asshesawthelooksofwonder,awe,andamazementontheirfaces,didsheallowherselfasmile.

CommanderTung’sthoughtsswirledinhishead.HuaJunhaddoneit.Hehadconqueredtheshrine.Inallhisyearstrainingsoldiers,hehadonlyseenahandfulofmenaccomplishthetask.AndnoneofthemhaddonesowiththegraceandfocusHuaJunhaddemonstrated.Turningawayfromtheshrine,thecommanderwalkedtowardhistent.SergeantQiangfellintostepbesidehim.

“HuaJunisatrueleader,”thesergeantobserved.He,too,hadbeenimpressedbythesoldier’ssuccess.

CommanderTungnodded.“Yes.Hehasthesamespiritashisfather—awarrior.”Hepaused,hisfacethoughtful.“ButIsensesomethingstillholdshimback.”

“Perhapsintimehe’llovercometheobstacle,”SergeantQiangsaidafteramoment.

Thecommander’sstepsstopped,andheturnedtolookathissecond-in-command.“We’reoutoftime,”hesaid.“Theenemyadvances.Wedeployatfirstlight.”

Hedidn’tneedtosaymore.Withanod,SergeantQiangturnedandorderedthesoldierstotheparadegrounds.Despitetheirexhaustion,themenjumpedtoattentionandmadetheirwayoverasfastastheirtiredlegscouldtakethem.Mulanarrivedlast,havinghadtoclimbdownfromtheshrine.

Whenalltheconscriptsweregathered,CommanderTungtookhisplaceinfrontofthem.“Ourtrainingisnotfinished,”hesaid.“Butweliveduringatimeofwar.Therefore,weshiftwithchangingwinds.”Hepausedtomakesurehehadeveryone’sattention.Satisfiedthemenwerelistening,hewenton.“WeleavetodefendtheMountainSteppeGarrison.”

Theresponsewasswift.Surprise,fear,andexcitementspreadthroughthemen.Whispersandmurmursroseoverthemlikeawave.Thiswaswhattheyhadbeenwaitingfor—anddreading.Fromherspotatthebackofthecrowd,Mulanfelthercheeksgrowpale.Theenergyandstrengthshehadonlyjustbeenfeelingfaded.Itwasonethingtoaccomplishatrainingtask.Itwasanentirelydifferentthingtofaceactualbattle.

CommanderTungliftedahand.Themengrewsilentoncemore.“YouwillnowtaketheOathoftheWarrior,pledgingfidelitytotheThreePillarsofVirtue.”Thecommanderpulledouthissword.Mulan’seyeswidenedassherealizeditwasidenticaltoherfather’s.Sensinghereyesonhim,CommanderTunglookedoverandnoddedeversosubtlyinherdirection.“Withouteachoneofthesepillars,yourvitalchiisdiminished.”

Onebyone,thestudentwarriorsunsheathedtheirswordsandheldthemhigh.AsMulanliftedherown,shesawtheinscriptionglitteringinthesun.Hereyesreadthewordsas,infrontofthem,Tungsaidthemaloud.“Brave!”heshouted.

Thesoldiers,includingMulan,echoedthewordbacktohim.

“Loyal!”Again,afterthecommander’sshout,thesoldiersshoutedback.

AsenseofdreadbegantobuildinMulan’sstomachasshesawthewordthatwouldbeshoutednext.“True!”CommanderTungfinished.

Aroundher,alltheothersoldiersyelledouttheword,theirvoicesfullofemotionandpride.ButMulanstayedquiet.Howcouldshesweartobetruewhenshewaslivingalie?