𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 | 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎 (𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕)

"Why are you here?"

Bori Khan's voice boomed with anger as Xianniang flew through the window of the tower. Scaffolding covered the inside of the unfinished building. The Rouran leader stood on one of the raised wooden platforms, the Emperor tied to a pole behind him. Transforming back into her human form, she approached the Rouran warrior, ignoring the daggers he shot at her with his eyes.

The Rouran leader had no power over her anymore.

"The attack has met a fierce resistance," Xianniang said.

Bori Khan's eyes widened in disbelief. "From who?" he snapped.

Xianniang almost smiled, but she kept her expression stoic as she responded, "A young woman and young man from a small village."

Bori Khan laughed. "A boy and a girl?"

Walking towards the edge of the tower, Xianniang looked out over the construction site. On the ground below, she could see Sheng and Mulan racing towards the tower. Mulan and Sheng were calm, composed, determination shining in their eyes. Turning back to Bori Khan, Xianniang shook her head. "No," she said "A woman. A man. Warriors." Her voice was strong and proud. "They lead a band of brave and loyal soldiers. The army is not far behind." She smiled as she saw her words make Bori Khan's face contort in rage. He looked out the unfinished windows of the tower as if he might actually see the army. Instead, he saw Sheng and Mulan making their way towards them--the warriors who threatened his plan.

"A woman leads their army," Xianniang continued, each word slow and deliberate. "And she is no scorned dog."

"You led her here," Bori Khan accused, turning back to Xianniang, sounding surprised.

"You shouldn't have trusted me," she said. The moment was an echo of their earlier conversation. Only now, it was she who held the upper hand. Because she no longer needed him. And he knew it.

Bori Khan's face grew red and his hands, hanging by his sides, shook as rage enveloped him. He reached behind his back and grabbed his bow, notching his arrow and aiming it right at the witch.

Xianniang didn't move except to lift one perfectly arched brow. "What makes you think that you can kill me?" she asked.

"I can't," Bori Khan replied. Fast as lightning, he turned and aimed the arrow away from Xianniang--and towards Mulan who had made her way inside, along with Sheng, the New Palace gates and stood on the ground below, "But I can kill her," he said, letting the arrow fly.

Xianniang watched the arrow move through the air as if in slow motion. Looking down at Mulan, Xianniang knew she could not let the girl die at the hands of Bori Khan. The Rouran warrior had been the last in a long line of people who had made Xianniang feel trapped, afraid to embrace the power within herself.

Xianniang had been right. They were alike. Mulan had hidden who she was, perhaps not in the form of a bird, but under the armor of a man. Yet she had ultimately embraced who she was and allowed others to see her true self. Mulan had done what Xianniang could never do: she had become free. If Mulan were to die now, everything she stood for, all she had fought for, would be ended.

Xianniang knew what she had to do.

Leaping into the air, Xianniang transformed into a hawk. With a flap of her wings, she put herself right in the path of the arrow.

The arrow slammed into her body, knocking her out of the scaffolding. Wind whistled in her ears as Xianniang felt herself fall. Just before she hit the earth, Mulan's arms reached out and caught her. As Mulan lowered her to the ground, Xianniang transformed back into her human form. She looked up at Mulan and gave her a weak smile as she felt the life draining from her body.

Her head grew heavy and Xianniang let it fall back. As she did so, she met Mulan and Sheng's eyes, which were full of surprise and compassion. Sheng's eyes held an immense amount of gratitude and respect for the woman who lay dying in Mulan's arms.

"Take your place, Hua Mulan," she whispered. And then, with one last breath, her chest grew still.