Mulanstareddownatthewomaninfrontofher.Indeath,thewitch’sfacelookedpeaceful.ThethoughtbroughtsomecomforttoMulan.Xiannianghadbeenmanythings,butshehad,atherheart,beenastrongwarrior.Sheshouldn’thavehadtodie.Sheshouldn’thavehadtosufferatthehandsofB??riKhanforsolong,justsoshecouldfeelaccepted.Butnow,atleast,shewasfree.

Gettingtoherfeet,Mulanpushedawaythesurprisinggriefshefelt.ThebestthingshecoulddoforXianniang’smemorynowwasdefeatB??riKhanandsavetheEmperor.Grabbinghersword,sheracedthroughthemazeofconstruction.Shaftsoflightpiercedtheshadowsandthewindblewthroughthebeamsandrubble,makingalowhissingsound.

MulanspottedB??riKhan.Thewarrior’sbackwastoher.Hestoodinfrontofalargeopenfurnace.Inside,moltenmetalflowedintoahugetub,fillingitwithred-hotliquid.Focusedonthefurnace,hedidn’thearMulanassheapproached.Takingadvantageofhisdistraction,Mulanscannedthearea,lookingforanysignoftheEmperor.Hereyestraveledupwardandstoppedasshespottedhim.Hewastiedtoapoleandbleedingfromseveralwounds,buthewasalive.

Takingadeepbreath,Mulantiptoedovertoalowbeamandhoppedon.Thensheclimbed,usingthecrossbarsthatzigzaggedovertheroomtogetcloserandclosertotheEmperor.Shewasalmosttohimwhenalargeshadowloomedoverher.

B??riKhanwasinfrontofher,blockingherwaytotheEmperor.Intheshadowylight,helookedlargerthanlife,likesomethingoutofanightmare.Hisgazetrailedoverherbodyandshesawhimsneer.“Thegirlwhohascometosavethedynasty,”hesaid,hisvoicedrippingwithdisdain.

MulanknewthattoB??riKhansheappearednothingmorethanayoungwoman.Buthewaswrong.Shewasmuchmore.Droppingintothewarrior’spose,sheliftedhersword.“Ifyousurrender,”shebegan,“Iwillassureyouthatyourdeathisswiftandpainless.”

Inresponse,B??riKhanlaughed.Andthen—heattacked.Inasmooth,powerfulstroke,heswunghissworddownatMulan.ThemovewassoquickMulanbarelyhadtimetoliftherownswordtoblockit.Butthemovementknockedheroff-balance,andshefell.Withathud,sheslammedintoabeambelowher,theimpactknockingthewindfromherlungs.

Asshestruggledtoherfeet,B??riKhancameafterher.Shescrambledbackward,jumpingoutofthewayjustintimetoavoidhisswingingsword.Creepingalongthebeam,sheswitchedhergazebackandforthbetweenB??riKhanandtheEmperor.

B??riKhankeptcoming,hiscruellaughterbouncingoffthebeams.Hisswordwhippedthroughtheair,andMulansomersaultedtoanotherbeamtostayoutoftheway.Themetalclangedashisswordstruckthebeamwhereshehadbeenjustmomentsbefore.Takingadvantageofthemiss,Mulanracedupward,makingherwaytotheEmperor.SheheardB??riKhanroarwithrageashegavechasebehindher.

Beamtobeamtheywent,withMulanbarelystayingaheadofthehuge,hulkingwarrior.Butstayaheadshedid,andsoonshehadreachedthecaptiveEmperor.Turningjustintime,MulanmetB??riKhan’sswordasitonceagainswungtowardher.ThesoundofmetalonmetalfilledtheairasshestruggledtoholdstrongagainstKhan’sonslaught.Butthenheswungonelasttime,andthemotionwassopowerfulthatitsentherswordflyingoutofherhand.

Inhorror,Mulanwatchedasthebladefelldown,down,downtowardthegroundandthen,withahiss,droppedintotheburningliquidofthefurnace.Mulanletoutacryofdespairasshewatchedherfather’ssworddisappear,meltingintonothing.

Foralongmoment,shestaredatthefurnace.Shehadlostherfather’ssword.Shehadlosteverything.HowcouldshestandachancenowagainstthegreatandpowerfulB??riKhan?

Andthen,fromabove,sheheardavoice.“Youareamightywarrior.”

Lookingup,shemettheEmperor’sgaze.Eventhoughhewastrapped,helookedstrong—andcalm.

“RiseuplikethePhoenix,”theEmperorwenton.“Fightforthekingdomanditspeople.”

RiseuplikethePhoenix.TheEmperor’swordshungoverMulan.WasthispartofwhythePhoenixhadcometoher?Hadeverythingbeenleadingtothismoment?Shethoughtbacktothedespairshehadfeltasshestoodonthemountaincliff,exiledandalone.AndthenshethoughtaboutthestrengthshehadfoundwhenshehadfacedXianniang,andthepowershehadfeltwhensheheardCommanderTungaccepther.Despitetheoddsandtheobstaclesthrownherway,shehadovercome.Shewasaphoenix.Shehadrisenaboveitallandbecomeawarrior.

Hearingthebeatingofwingsbehindher,Mulanslowlyrosetoherfeetandturned.ShegaspedasshesawthePhoenixappear,wingsspread.ThebirdwasnolongerthewretchedcreatureshehadbeenwhenMulanfirstmether.Shewasbeautiful.Strong.Magnificent.HerfeathersnearlyblindedMulanwiththeirvividcolor.

FilledwitharenewedsenseofpurposeandpowerfromtheEmperor’swordsandthePhoenix,MulanturnedtofaceB??riKhanoncemore.TheRouranwarriorhesitatedonlyamoment,surprisedtoseeherresilience,andthenherushedather.

Mulanracedtomeethim.Foramoment,itlookedasiftheyweregoingtocrashheadfirst.Butatthelastmoment,Mulanleapt.SoaringoverB??riKhan,shelandedonathinbamboopolebehindhim.Balancingperfectlydespitethenarrownessofthesurface,shetauntedB??riKhanwithasmile.

Thewarriorroaredandswunghissword,slicingthroughthebamboo.Itsplitinhalf,butthatdidn’tstopMulan.Leapingtoanother,andthenanother,shejumpedfrompoletopoleasB??riKhancontinuedtohackattheairwildlywithhislongsword.Reachingtheendofthepoles,sheliftedherarmintheairasoneofthepiecesofcutbambooflewintoheroutstretchedhand.Grabbingit,shejumpeddowntothegroundandstood,thebamboopoleinfrontofherlikeastaff.

Herbreathcameingasps.Shewasexhausted.Everymuscleachedandevenherbonesfeltsore.Shehadbeenfightingforsolong.Firsttofindherplaceinthearmy,theninactualbattleagainsthundredsoffiercewarriors—andnowagainstthestrongestRouranwarriorofall.Shewasn’tsurehowmuchlongershecouldgoon.Butifshestopped,theEmperorwoulddie,andwhatwouldbecomeofthekingdom?Unbidden,animageofthetuloucametoher.Thepeacefulvillage,fullofthesamefamiliesforgenerations.Whatwouldbecomeofherhome?Herfamily?Shehadtokeepfighting.Takingadeepbreath,sheliftedthebamboo.