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.