sheseemedtosay.Andforthefirsttime,MulanrealizedhowmuchshehadneededthePhoenix,nowandthroughoutthelongjourney.

Liftingherswordfromtheground,shereadtheinscription,hereyeslingeringononeword.“True??.??.??.”shesaidaloud.True.Yes.Itwasthevirtueshehadstruggledsomuchwith,andyettheoneshelongedtoembrace.Andnowsheneededtobetruetoherself.Shewasn’tgoingtolistentothewitch’swordsorletdoubtcreepin.Sheneededtofollowherheart.

MulanracedoverandjumpedontoBlackWind’sback.Thehorsewhinniedassheurgedhimforward.Behindher,sheheardflappingwingsasthePhoenixtookflight.Together,theyracedacrossthevalleyinthedirectionofthebattlefield.Herarmor,loosenedfromthefight,felltothegroundpiecebypiece.Thewindwhippedherlonghairaroundherface.Therewasnohidingwhoshewasnow.Butshedidn’tcare.Shewasdonepretending.Thewitchhadseenherasenoughofathreattotrytokillher.Shewasstrong.ShewasnolongerHuaJun.ShewasMulan.Shewasawoman.Andshewasawarrior.

Asshereachedtheedgeofthevalley,shecouldhearthesoundsofbattlefrombelowtheridge.Ridingover,MulanpulledupBlackWind.Below,theImperialArmywastrying,invain,tokeeptheRouransatbay.Soldiersstoodbacktoback,theirswordsflashinginthesunlightastheystruggledtofighttheRouranattackers.Arrowscontinuedtoflythroughtheairbuttheywerebeingshotwithoutintentionasthearcherssimplytriedtosurvive.

Aboveitall,Mulansawthewitch,onceagaininherhawkform.Shecircledabovethetwoarmies,lettingoutmenacingshrieksthatencouragedtheRouransandmadetheImperialsoldiersshakeinfear.

Mulandidn’thesitate.SpurringBlackWind,sheraceddownthehillandrightintothefight.Asshewent,sheliftedherswordandswung.Oneithersideofher,enemiesfellasmetalmetskin.Shedidn’tevennoticethestunnedlooksofCommanderTungorHonghuiastheycaughtsightofthepowerfulfemalewarriordoingwhatnoneofthemhadbeenableto—win.Caughtinthemoment,sheappearedlikeamiragethroughthesteamthatrosefromthevalleyfloor.Herhaircoveredherfaceandherarmmovedsofastthatsheappearedablur.

Assheracedon,BlackWind’snostrilsflaredandhishoovespoundedagainsttheground.Together,theylookedlikesomethingmagical.Reachingtheheartofthebattle,Mulangatheredhercourageandpushedherselftoherfeetsothatshewasstandingtallonherhorse’sback.Then,withacry,sheleaptoffandflewthroughtheair.Foramoment,shehung,suspended,beforelandingontheground,herswordraisedinfrontofher.

Instantly,theRouransrushedather.Channelinghertrainingandfocusingonherchi,Mulanlostherselfintherhythmicswingofhersword.Aroundher,themenshehadcometoknowasfriendsfoughtvaliantly.Honghui’ssworddispatchedtwoRouransatoncewhileYaoscreamedandshouted,swinginghisswordwildlybuteffectively.EvenSkatchandRamtishweregivingitalltheyhad,kickingandscratchingandthrowingrockstoprotectthemselves.

Inchbyinch,theImperialArmyseemedtogainafoothold.Whetheritwastheappearanceofthemysteriousfemalewarriororjustluck,itdidn’tmatter.Incheswerealltheyneeded.Withrenewedenergy,thesoldierscontinuedtofight.SpottingthelastlargegroupofRouraninvaders,theirarmsheavywithswordandshield,Mulanrushedtowardthem.

Inagroup,theyturnedtofacetheapproachingwarrior.ButMulandidn’tslow.Shekeptrunning,andjustasitseemedshewasgoingtocollideheadfirstwiththeremainingRouransoldiers,sheonceagainjumpedintotheair.Herfeetlightandhermindfocused,sheracedatoptheinvaders,usingtheirhelmetsandtheirraisedshieldstopropelherselfforward.Inaflash,shehadcrossedoverallofthemandleapttotheground.

Furious,theRouransturnedandstartedchasingafterher.

Mulanallowedherselfasmallsmile.Thiswaswhatshehadwanted.Sprintingtowardtheotheredgeofthevalley,sheranontoalargerockformation.Ontheothersidewasawallofsteam.Agustofwindblewbackthesteamforamoment,revealingalargecrackintheground.Mulanhesitatedonlybrieflybeforeleaping.Behindher,thesteammovedbackovertheground,concealingthecrackfromview.

Behindher,theinvaders’angrycriesgrewlouderastheysawtheirpreydisappear.Withbloodlustintheireyes,theyfollowed,runningupandjumpingofftherock.Buttheircriesofangerturnedtofearastheyfell,onebyone,intothedeepcrackjustbeyondtherock.Thecrack,formedfromthepressureofthelava,billowedsteamupwardasitpulledtheRouransdown.Inseconds,theinvadingwarriorshadbeenlosttotheearth.

Ontheotherside,standingwithherswordstillraised,wasMulan,readyforthenextonslaught.Acrossthecrack,therestoftheImperialArmyarrived,theireyeswideastheyrealizedwhatshehaddone.

Hearingthepoundingfootstepsofdozensofmen,Mulanturnedtoseeanothergroupofinvadersrushingatherfromtheoppositedirection.Sheliftedhersword.ButbeforetheRouransreachedher,theycametoaskiddinghalt.Dozensofpairsofeyeslandedonherandthenpeeredintothesteamycragbeyond.ShesawthemtakeintheImperialArmystandingbehindher,swordshigh.

Andthentheyturnedandran.

Inthespacethatfollowed,theonlysoundMulancouldhearwasherownpoundingheart.Theyhaddoneit!Shehaddoneit!Theyhadheldoffthenortherninvaders.

Buthervictorywasshort-lived.TheImperialsoldiershadnotevengivenashoutofjoybeforetheshriekofahawkpiercedtheair.Lookingup,Mulansawthewitchcirclingfasterandfasterasshewatchedtheinvadersrunlikecowards.Mulanknewthewitchwastherealenemy.Reachingbehindherback,Mulangrabbedherbowandnotchedanarrow.Takingaim,sheletitfly.

Thearrowsoaredthroughtheair.Mulanheldherbreathandwaited.Asshewatched,thehawkturned.Forthebriefestofmoments,itseemedlikeMulan’sarrowwoulddoitsjob.Butjustbeforethearrowhither,thehawktransformed,splittingintohundredsofsmallerbirds.

Theyfilledtheair,blockingthesunastheyhovered.Then,inonefellswoop,theymovedinfortheattack.LoudshrieksfilledtheairasthebirdsdoveattheImperialArmy.Themenducked,tryingtofightoffthecreatures.Butthebirdskeptcoming.

“Tortoiseformation!”CommanderTungcried,hisvoicecuttingthroughtheshrieksofthebirdsandthemen’sscreams.

Asthesoldiersgatheredtogether,liftingtheirshieldsabovetheirheadssotheyresembledtheshellofatortoise,Mulanscannedthehorizon.Hereyeswidenedasshespottedmovementontheridgeofthesnow-coveredmountainthatdominatedoneendofthevalley.Atopit,shenoticeddozensofRouranarchersreadyingtheirbows.Hereyesgrewwiderasshesawalargetrebuchetbeingmovedintoposition.ThewoodencatapultwouldtakeoutdozensofImperialsoldiersinasingleshot.Theslingcouldholdahugerockordozensofsmallerones.Itwasapowerful—anddeadly—weapon.

Thebirdshadbeenadiversion.TheImperialArmyhadn’twon.Notyet.Therewasasecondwavebeingprepared—anditwasabouttoattack.Trappedinthevalleybelow,CommanderTungandhisarmywouldn’tstandachance.

Liftingherhandslightly,Mulansawthemountainreflectedbackatherinthebladeofthesword.Shehadanidea.

Usingthedistractionofthetortoiseformation,shesnuckoutfromunderthecoverofshields.Shewhistledloudlyandamomentlater,BlackWindracedup.Jumpingontohisback,sheturnedhimtowardtheridge.Astheygallopedawayfromtheothersoldiers,MulanreacheddownandgrabbedanImperialhelmet.Thenanother,andanother,andstillmore.Satisfied,shecontinuedtowardtheridge.

Herlastsuccesshadbeenlucky.Butshewasgoingtoneedmorethanlucktopulloffthisplan.