21
words and the Phoenix, Mulan turned to face B??ri Khan once re. The Rouran warrior hesitated only a nt, surprised to see her resilience, and then he rushed at her.
Mulan raced to et hi For a nt, it looked as if they were going to crash headfirst. But at the last nt, Mulan leapt. Soaring over B??ri Khan, she landed on a thin baoo pole behind hi Balancing perfectly despite the narrowness of the surface, she taunted B??ri Khan with a sle.
The warrior roared and swung his sword, slicing through the baoo. It split in half, but that didn’t stop Mulan. Leaping to another, and then another, she jued fronbsp; pole to pole as B??ri Khan continued to hack at the air wildly with his long sword. Reaching the end of the poles, she lifted her arnbsp; in the air as one of the pieces of cut baoo flew into her outstretched hand. Grabbing it, she jued down to the ground and stood, the baoo pole in front of her like a staff.
Her breath ca in gasps. She was exhausted. Every scle ached and even her bones felt sore. She had been fighting for so long. First to find her place in the ar, then in actual battle against hundreds of fierce warriors—and now against the strongest Rouran warrior of all. She wasn’t sure how ch longer she could go on. But if she stopped, the Eeror would die, and what would bee of the kingdo Unbidden, an ige of the tulou ca to her. The peaceful village, full of the sa falies for generations. What would bee of her ho? Her faly? She had to keep fighting. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the baoo.
Once again, B??ri Khan ca at her. Using the staff, she blocked his sword and then spun, her vents fluid. The staff beca a twirling blur as she ved this way and that. B??ri Khan tried to follow the dizzying tion but he stuled. Taking advantage of it, Mulan stopped spinning and whacked hinbsp; across the face. He let out a cry as his hand went to his cheek.
Mulan kept ving. Racing back in the Eeror’s direction, she heard B??ri Khan on her heels. Turning around, she lifted her baoo just as B??ri Khan’s sword sliced down toward her head. Mulan cried out as her baoo spear cracked, breaking in two as the Rouran’s sword t wood and then continued down, slashing a rope that hung nearby. Without the rope holding it steady, one of the giant crossbea pressed against the scaffolding ca free. It swung back and forth in the air above, between where Mulan stood and the Eeror was irisoned.
Watching the long piece of wood, Mulan had an idea. She leapt for the crossbeanbsp; in an
Mulan raced to et hi For a nt, it looked as if they were going to crash headfirst. But at the last nt, Mulan leapt. Soaring over B??ri Khan, she landed on a thin baoo pole behind hi Balancing perfectly despite the narrowness of the surface, she taunted B??ri Khan with a sle.
The warrior roared and swung his sword, slicing through the baoo. It split in half, but that didn’t stop Mulan. Leaping to another, and then another, she jued fronbsp; pole to pole as B??ri Khan continued to hack at the air wildly with his long sword. Reaching the end of the poles, she lifted her arnbsp; in the air as one of the pieces of cut baoo flew into her outstretched hand. Grabbing it, she jued down to the ground and stood, the baoo pole in front of her like a staff.
Her breath ca in gasps. She was exhausted. Every scle ached and even her bones felt sore. She had been fighting for so long. First to find her place in the ar, then in actual battle against hundreds of fierce warriors—and now against the strongest Rouran warrior of all. She wasn’t sure how ch longer she could go on. But if she stopped, the Eeror would die, and what would bee of the kingdo Unbidden, an ige of the tulou ca to her. The peaceful village, full of the sa falies for generations. What would bee of her ho? Her faly? She had to keep fighting. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the baoo.
Once again, B??ri Khan ca at her. Using the staff, she blocked his sword and then spun, her vents fluid. The staff beca a twirling blur as she ved this way and that. B??ri Khan tried to follow the dizzying tion but he stuled. Taking advantage of it, Mulan stopped spinning and whacked hinbsp; across the face. He let out a cry as his hand went to his cheek.
Mulan kept ving. Racing back in the Eeror’s direction, she heard B??ri Khan on her heels. Turning around, she lifted her baoo just as B??ri Khan’s sword sliced down toward her head. Mulan cried out as her baoo spear cracked, breaking in two as the Rouran’s sword t wood and then continued down, slashing a rope that hung nearby. Without the rope holding it steady, one of the giant crossbea pressed against the scaffolding ca free. It swung back and forth in the air above, between where Mulan stood and the Eeror was irisoned.
Watching the long piece of wood, Mulan had an idea. She leapt for the crossbeanbsp; in an