21
Then, with a loud creak, it ripped in two, sending the beaand B??ri Khan—plueting to the ground below.
Not waiting to see if B??ri Khan landed on his feet, Mulan swung herself to the platfornbsp; on which the Eeror still sat tied. Racing over, she furiously cut at his bindings. Mulan’s heartbeat quickened as she desperately tried to free the Eeror. Hearing the n take a quick inhale, she turned and saw that B??ri Khan was standing on the ground below, his bow in hand and an arrow aid right at the
B??ri Khan pulled back the arrow.
Mulan cut faster.
As the Rouran let the arrow fly, Mulan cut away the final binding. The Eeror’s hand ca free, and just before the arrow could pierce his chest, he lifted his arnbsp; and grabbed it. With a look of defiance, the Eeror tossed the arrow into the air. Both B??ri Khan’s and Mulan’s uths dropped open in surprise. But Mulan was quicker to recover. Watching the arrow arc up and then descend back toward the ground, she saw an opportunity. Leaping into the air, Mulan whipped her body around. Her foot ca out and then, with a
THWACK
, she kicked the blunt end of the arrow. The vent sent it hurtling through the air—right toward B??ri Khan.
Lifting his hand, the huge warrior tried to catch it. But he wasn’t quick enough. Fueled with Mulan’s power and strength, the arrow slaed into B??ri Khan’s chest, knocking hinbsp; to the ground, where he lay, unving.
Silence descended as the reality of what she had just done filled Mulan. Her body shook with adrenaline and her knees grew weak. She turned. The Eeror stood staring at her with an expression she could not read. She iediately lowered her knees to the ground, bowing.
“Stand up, soldier,” the Eeror said. Mulan rose. “Tell your na.”
Mulan took a deep breath, pausing for only a nt. She had just defeated B??ri Khan, the st feared warrior in China. She had beat hinbsp; with her own strength and skill and, in doing so, had saved the Eeror—and the entire kingdo A warh spread within her as she realized the gnitude of what she had done. Monts flashed in front of her: Xianniang sacrificing her own life. Coander Tung putting his faith in her. Honghui lifting his voice in support of her. She had spent so ch ti pretending to be soone she was not in the hopes of doing her part to help. And the irony was that all along, she had only needed to be herself. Lifting her head, Mulan t the Eeror’s gaze.
“I anbsp; Hua Mulan,” she answered, and as her na echoed through the to
Not waiting to see if B??ri Khan landed on his feet, Mulan swung herself to the platfornbsp; on which the Eeror still sat tied. Racing over, she furiously cut at his bindings. Mulan’s heartbeat quickened as she desperately tried to free the Eeror. Hearing the n take a quick inhale, she turned and saw that B??ri Khan was standing on the ground below, his bow in hand and an arrow aid right at the
B??ri Khan pulled back the arrow.
Mulan cut faster.
As the Rouran let the arrow fly, Mulan cut away the final binding. The Eeror’s hand ca free, and just before the arrow could pierce his chest, he lifted his arnbsp; and grabbed it. With a look of defiance, the Eeror tossed the arrow into the air. Both B??ri Khan’s and Mulan’s uths dropped open in surprise. But Mulan was quicker to recover. Watching the arrow arc up and then descend back toward the ground, she saw an opportunity. Leaping into the air, Mulan whipped her body around. Her foot ca out and then, with a
THWACK
, she kicked the blunt end of the arrow. The vent sent it hurtling through the air—right toward B??ri Khan.
Lifting his hand, the huge warrior tried to catch it. But he wasn’t quick enough. Fueled with Mulan’s power and strength, the arrow slaed into B??ri Khan’s chest, knocking hinbsp; to the ground, where he lay, unving.
Silence descended as the reality of what she had just done filled Mulan. Her body shook with adrenaline and her knees grew weak. She turned. The Eeror stood staring at her with an expression she could not read. She iediately lowered her knees to the ground, bowing.
“Stand up, soldier,” the Eeror said. Mulan rose. “Tell your na.”
Mulan took a deep breath, pausing for only a nt. She had just defeated B??ri Khan, the st feared warrior in China. She had beat hinbsp; with her own strength and skill and, in doing so, had saved the Eeror—and the entire kingdo A warh spread within her as she realized the gnitude of what she had done. Monts flashed in front of her: Xianniang sacrificing her own life. Coander Tung putting his faith in her. Honghui lifting his voice in support of her. She had spent so ch ti pretending to be soone she was not in the hopes of doing her part to help. And the irony was that all along, she had only needed to be herself. Lifting her head, Mulan t the Eeror’s gaze.
“I anbsp; Hua Mulan,” she answered, and as her na echoed through the to