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Hiddeninahighcrevice,MulanlookeddownattheridgewheretheRouranarmypreparedtheirattack.Asshewatched,oneofthemenshoutedorders,sendingsomesoldierstowardtheedgeoftheridgewithbowsandarrowswhileothersloadedalarge,heavyboulderontothetrebuchet.Groaningwitheffort,themenmoveditintopositionsothatitwasaimedatthevalley—andtheImperialsoldiers—below.

Takingamomenttomakesureshewasready,Mulanlookedinfrontofher.Thehelmetsshehadtakenfromthebattlefieldwerelinedupinarow.BlackWindwassafelyhidden.Shewasready.Liftingherbow,sheturnedandtookaimattheRourans.

Herfirstarrowflewthroughtheair.Therewasasurprisedcryasaninvaderfelotheground.Thenanother.Andanother.Itdidn’ttakelongforthesoldierstonoticewhatwashappening.Oneturned,andMulansawhimscantheridgewhereshewashiding.SpottingtheImperialhelmets,heletoutanangrycry.Shoutingneworders,hehadhismenturntheirattentionfromthevalley.Thetrebuchetwasmoveduntilit,too,waspointedtowardthemountainwhereMulanstood,hiddenfromview.

Attheleader’ssignal,theRouransfiredarrowsattherowofImperialhelmets,unawarethattheywerenothingbutemptyshells,dummiestotricktheenemy.WhenitappearedthattheImperialsoldierswereunharmed,theRouransgrewangrier.Theirattentionturnedtothetrebuchet.Mulanwatchedandwaited,hopingshehadplannedcorrectly.

Amomentlater,thegroupofinvaderslitthefuel-coveredboulderthatsatinitsperchonthetrebuchet.Instantly,theboulderignited,burstingintoflame.Theinvadersreleasedthetrebuchet.

Astheflamingboulderflew,Mulanheldherbreath.Therockwashugeandheavy,andeventhoughithadbeenpropelledwithgreatforce,itseemedtomoveinslowmotionacrossthesky.ForMulan’splantowork,sheneededthebouldertoflystrongandtrue.

Closerandclosertheboulderflewuntil,withaloudboom,itslammedintothesnowymountainsidebehindher.Thenoiseoftheimpactechoeddownthemountainandoverthevalleyfloorbelow.TheImperialArmy,appearingassmallasantsfromMulan’sperchhighabove,seemedtopauseasthesoundreachedthem.Mulanwaited,listening.Shereacheddownandputherhandtotheground.

Shefeit.Justthesmallestofvibrations,butitwasenoughtotellherthatherplanhadworked.

Notwaitingtoseetheresuoftheavalanchethathadalreadybeguntorollfromitspeak,Mulantookoffrunning.Shetrippedandsliddownthehard-packedsnow,thegroundshakingmoreviolentlyastheavalanchebecamestronger.