Onceagain,B??riKhancameather.Usingthestaff,sheblockedhisswordandthenspun,hermovementsfluid.Thestaffbecameatwirlingblurasshemovedthiswayandthat.B??riKhantriedtofollowthedizzyingmotionbuthestumbled.Takingadvantageofit,Mulanstoppedspinningandwhackedhimacrosstheface.Heletoutacryashishandwenttohischeek.

Mulankeptmoving.RacingbackintheEmperor’sdirection,sheheardB??riKhanonherheels.Turningaround,sheliftedherbamboojustasB??riKhan’sswordsliceddowntowardherhead.Mulancriedoutasherbamboospearcracked,breakingintwoastheRouran’sswordmetwoodandthencontinueddown,slashingaropethathungnearby.Withouttheropeholdingitsteady,oneofthegiantcrossbeamspressedagainstthescaffoldingcamefree.Itswungbackandforthintheairabove,betweenwhereMulanstoodandtheEmperorwasimprisoned.

Watchingthelongpieceofwood,Mulanhadanidea.SheleaptforthecrossbeaminanattempttouseittogettotheEmperor.Butthebeamwastoohigh.Desperately,shegrabbedatitandhungthere,herarmswrappedaroundthebeaminanawkwardhug.Withheraddedweightandthemomentumofherjump,thebeambegantotiltandspin.

B??riKhan,hisfacefilledwithrage,tookarunningleapandgrabbedholdoftheoppositeendofthecrossbeam.Thewoodgroanedundertheircombinedweightsastheyhungoneitherend.Atthesametime,MulanandB??riKhanhoistedthemselvestotheirfeetonthebeam.Theyswayed,theirbalanceunevenasthebeambeneaththeirfeetrockedbackandforth.

Peeringdownattheground,whichnowseemedveryfaraway,Mulantookanervousbreath.B??riKhanwasnotgoingtostopuntilhedefeatedher.Shesawhimbegintomaneuvertowardher,hisweightcausingthebeamtoraiseupbehindher,forcingherclosertothemiddle—andtotheRouran.ItwouldonlytakeoneswingofhisswordforB??riKhantoknockheroff.Shehadeveryreasontoretreat.

Butthen,asiftherewassomethinginthebackofhermindthatkeptremindingherwhyshehadtocarryon,sheheardCommanderTung’svoiceinherhead,readingaloudthePillarsofVirtue.SheheardtheEmperor,urginghertoriselikethePhoenix.Shesaw,inhermind’seye,themagnificentbird.Andsheknew,inthatmoment,shewouldnotgiveup.Slowly,shebentherkneesandliftedherarms,takingthenowfamiliarstanceofthewarriorthatthecommanderhadtaughther.Withhercenterofgravitylowered,herbalancegrewstronger.Theroomaroundherfadedandshewasbackbesidethelake,practicingthemovesCommanderTunghaddrilledintothesoldiers.AsB??riKhancameather,shemovedforwardandbackward,pressingandthenyielding,allthewhilestayingsteadyandfocused.

B??riKhan,ontheotherhand,grewlessfocused.AsMulandeftlymeteveryoneofhismoves,hisfacegrewredder.Hissword’smovementsbecamelesscontrolled.Lettingoutafuriousscream,helungedather.

Mulanbarelyhadtomove.Usinghisenergyagainsthim,shelethimracebyonthenarrowbeam,grabbingtheswordrightoutofhishandashepassed.Whenhestoppedattheendofthebeam,heturned,onlytofindthebladeofhisownweaponpointedathisthroat.

AsB??riKhanstaredatherinsurprise,Mulanleaptup,grabbingaropethathungfromtheceilingabove.Then,usingtheRouran’ssword,shehackedattheropeholdingupthecrossbeam.Repeatedlysheswunguntil,bitbybit,theropebegantofray.Then,withaloudcreak,itrippedintwo,sendingthebeam—andB??riKhan—plummetingtothegroundbelow.

NotwaitingtoseeifB??riKhanlandedonhisfeet,MulanswungherselftotheplatformonwhichtheEmperorstillsattied.Racingover,shefuriouslycutathisbindings.Mulan’sheartbeatquickenedasshedesperatelytriedtofreetheEmperor.Hearingthemantakeaquickinhale,sheturnedandsawthatB??riKhanwasstandingonthegroundbelow,hisbowinhandandanarrowaimedrightatthem.

B??riKhanpulledbackthearrow.

Mulancutfaster.

AstheRouranletthearrowfly,Mulancutawaythefinalbinding.TheEmperor’shandcamefree,andjustbeforethearrowcouldpiercehischest,heliftedhisarmandgrabbedit.Withalookofdefiance,theEmperortossedthearrowintotheair.BothB??riKhan’sandMulan’smouthsdroppedopeninsurprise.ButMulanwasquickertorecover.Watchingthearrowarcupandthendescendbacktowardtheground,shesawanopportunity.Leapingintotheair,Mulanwhippedherbodyaround.Herfootcameoutandthen,witha

THWACK

,shekickedthebluntendofthearrow.Themovementsentithurtlingthroughtheair—righttowardB??riKhan.

Liftinghishand,thehugewarriortriedtocatchit.Buthewasn’tquickenough.FueledwithMulan’spowerandstrength,thearrowslammedintoB??riKhan’schest,knockinghimtotheground,wherehelay,unmoving.

SilencedescendedastherealityofwhatshehadjustdonefilledMulan.Herbodyshookwithadrenalineandherkneesgrewweak.Sheturned.TheEmperorstoodstaringatherwithanexpressionshecouldnotread.Sheimmediatelyloweredherkneestotheground,bowing.

“Standup,soldier,”theEmperorsaid.Mulanrose.“Tellmeyourname.”

Mulantookadeepbreath,pausingforonlyamoment.ShehadjustdefeatedB??riKhan,themostfearedwarriorinChina.Shehadbeathimwithherownstrengthandskilland,indoingso,hadsavedtheEmperor—andtheentirekingdom.Awarmthspreadwithinherassherealizedthemagnitudeofwhatshehaddone.Momentsflashedinfrontofher:Xianniangsacrificingherownlife.CommanderTungputtinghisfaithinher.Honghuiliftinghisvoiceinsupportofher.Shehadspentsomuchtimepretendingtobesomeoneshewasnotinthehopesofdoingherparttohelp.Andtheironywasthatallalong,shehadonlyneededtobeherself.Liftingherhead,MulanmettheEmperor’sgaze.

“IamHuaMulan,”sheanswered,andashernameechoedthroughthetower,shesmiled.