ShehadbeensurprisedwhenCommanderTunghadorderedthemtostopinthemiddleofthemist-filledvalley.Itseemedlikethatwouldputthematadisadvantagestrategically.Butapparentlynot.Thisway,thecommandertoldthem,theelementofsurprisewouldbeontheirside.TheyknewwhichdirectiontheRouranarmywascomingfrom,whereastheenemyhadnoideawhatnowlayinwait.
Asthesungrewstronger,itburnedoffthemist.Slowly,theshadowsdisappeared.Mulan’sbreathcaughtinherthroatasthelastofthewispsdisappeared,revealingamassivearmyacrossfromtheImperialbattalion.TheRouransseemedtocovertheentirehorizon,bannersofdozensoftribeswhippingintheair.
InfrontofthemallwasB??riKhan.Hesatastridehismidnight-blackstallion,hiseyescoldandcalculating,evenfromsuchadistance.Mulantensed,andbeneathher,BlackWindshiftednervouslyonhisfeet.Aspartofthecavalry,Mulanwouldbeinoneofthelastgroupstocharge.Butitdidn’tmatterwhenintheordershewouldgo.Nowthatshehadseentheenemy,thelasttinysliverofhopethatshemightavoidbattlehadfaded.
Turning,shesawherfriendsstandingamongtheinfantry:Po,Yao,andLing.Theusualconfidencewasgonefromtheirfaces,replacedwithapprehension.Scanningfurtherstill,MulansawSkatchandRamtish.Withouttheirfakebeardsormonkrobes,theyseemedsmallersomehow.Andfearwasetchedineveryweather-wornlineontheirfaces.Mulanfeltaflashofsympathyforthepair.Theyhadwantednopartofthiswar,andyetshehadbroughtittothem.Iftheysurvivedthebattletocome,shevowed,shewouldfigureoutawaytoapologize—evenifshestillhadn’tforgiventhemforstealingBlackWind.
HereyesstoppedonHonghui.Tohersurprise,hewasstaringbackather.Foramoment,theyheldeachother’sgaze.Theothersoundsfadedaway,andallMulancouldhearweretheunevengaspsofherownbreathandthepoundingofherheart.ShesawinHonghui’seyesthesamequestioninglook,thesameunspokenapology,thatsheknewhersheld.Bothrecognizedthismightverywellbethelasttimetheyeversaweachotheralive.Andinthatmomentofrealization,allthecompetitionandanimosityfellaway.Initsplacewassomethingneitherwouldhavedaredgivevoiceto:respect??.??.??.butalsosomethingdeeper.Somethingtheycouldn’texplain,butthatcausedMulantofeelflushedandmadeHonghuishiftonhisfeet.
Thesoundofdrumsboomedthroughthevalley,startlingMulan.ShedroppedhergazefromHonghui’s.Pushingasidethestrangesensationsettlinginherstomach,Mulanturnedbacktothevalleyandtheenemybeyond.Itwastimetofocus.
Thebattlewashere.
Asthedrumminggrewlouderandfaster,thefrontlineofImperialsoldierskneeled.Behindthem,thearcherssteppedforward,readyingtheirbows.Cricketstoodinthemiddleofthem,hiseyesclear,hisshoulderssteady.Mulancouldn’thelpbeingimpressed.Theboyhadbecomeawarrior.
CommanderTungraisedhishand.Thearmyseemedtotakeacollectivebreath.Andthen,thecommandergavethesignal.AstheImperialflagwaveddown,thearcherslettheirarrowsfly.Theyarchedhighoverthevalley—nowabattlefield—towardtheRouranarmybeyond.
IfCommanderTungthoughtthisfirstwaveofattackwouldintimidateB??riKhan,hewasquicklyprovenwrong.TheRouranwarriordidn’tevenwaitforthearrowstolandbeforehegavehisownsignal.Inaninstant,thesoundofthedrumswasmutedbythepoundinghoovesofhundredsofhorsesasB??riKhanledhisarmyracingacrossthevalley.
Thearcherskeptthearrowsflying.Somefoundtheirtargets,knockingRouransfromtheirsaddles,buttheybarelymadeadent.TheRouranarmywashuge.Itwouldtakemorethanthearcherstobringitdown.
WaitinganxiouslyforCommanderTung’ssignal,MulanwatchedasB??riKhanshoutedtoafewofhismenandthen,withadozenorsoofthewarriors,peeledofffromthemainbodyofthearmy.Themomentumcarriedtherestofthearmyforward.Actingquickly,CommanderTungshoutedorderstothecavalry—includingMulan—sendingthemaftertheRouranleader.Whiletherestoftheinfantryandarcherstooktheirchanceswiththeoncominghorde,thecavalryexplodedafterB??riKhan.
BlackWind’smanewhippedbehindhimasMulanrodethehorseacrossthevalley.Ahead,shecouldseeB??riKhan,andthewarriorsshenowrecognizedasthefabledShadowWarriorsnoticedtheywerebeingfollowed.Withashout,oneofthemspunaroundsothathewasridinghishorsebackward.Asthehorsegallopedon,unbothered,theShadowWarriornotchedtwoarrows,lettingthemflyinquicksuccession.
AnImperialsoldiernearbyshoutedashewashitandknockedfromhishorse.Mulandidn’thavetimetoregisterfear,asamomentlater,theotherarrowzippedpast,barelymissingher.Sheheardathudasanotherriderfell.Still,theyracedon.
Asthegroundchangedbeneaththem,growingrockier,Mulannotchedherownarrows.Shebarelytooknoticeofthesteamy,mountainousenvironmenttheyhadentered.ShehadeyesonlyfortheRouranwarriors.Moreenemysoldierswerespinningontheirhorses,firingarrowsfasterandfaster.TheImperialsoldiersbegantofallwithmoreandmorefrequency.Somewerefelledbyarrows,otherswhentheirhorsestrippedontherockyterrain.Steamcausedbythewarmairspewingfromthevolcanicventsrose,cloudingMulan’svision,butstillsherodeonasonebyonetheotherImperialsoldiers,decidingtheRouranleaderwastoofargone,turnedandretreatedtothebattlefield.
SoonMulanwasalone.
BlackWind’spaceslowed.Mulanlookedoverhershoulderattheothersoldierswhowerenowracingaway.Thethoughtoffollowingtheminretreatwasstrong.ButstrongerstillwasthesoundofCommanderTung’svoiceinhermindashecalledoutthePillarsofVirtue.ItwasherdutyasamemberoftheImperialArmytobeloyalandbrave.Shemightnotbeabletoliveuptothevirtueoftruth,butthatdidn’tmeanshecouldn’tfightfortheotherpillars.DragginghergazefromthesightofthefleeingImperialArmy,shespottedB??riKhandisappearingintothesteamahead.
Screwinguphercourage,sheurgedBlackWindonandfollowed.