Chapter 19
"Galyn Khaan, it ends here." resolved Mulan.
"We'll see about that!" Galyn Khaan mocked. "Makhchin! Hunt them down!"
An ear-exploding screech resounded through the clearing, almost creating a sonic boom. The sound literally rattled Mulan's armor! Mulan looked up. For the first time, she saw Makhchin at his new full size. She jumped onto Mushu's back, something he wasn't used to.
"Hey, I'm not the cow!" protested Mushu.
Mulan decided this was no time to correct her guardian dragon on what kind of animal Khan was. "I know. But we'll have to work together in order to defeat this barbarian for good!"
"Hang on, baby girl!" Mulan gripped a handful of Mushu's mane as if riding a horse. Dragon and rider shot into the sky.
Makhchin looked above him and saw Mushu's enlarged form… with Mulan on his back. The falcon tried to ride a thermal to catch up. Mushu realized this. He took a deep breath and inhaled the hot air current. Now, Makhchin had to work a lot harder. Instead of gliding, he was forced to flap his wings. He hadn't flown much since Kaili's kidnapping, so it was harder work than usual.
By the time Makhchin reached Mushu's height, he was tired. He lashed out with his talons, but they snapped against Mushu's armored scales. New tactic. He let Mushu speed ahead and tried to attack from behind. Mushu made a hairpin turn, encircling Makhchin in a coil. Then he made a series of even sharper turns, causing a mid-air whirlwind and sucking the air out of Makhchin.
"Mushu, I need air!" Mulan's voice cracked from the altitude. Mushu used the spirit bond to let some of the air he had absorbed rush into Mulan's lungs. Once she had enough oxygen, Mulan unsheathed her sword and slashed at Makhchin's right wing. The strike went bone-deep, and went through to the other side.
With his right wing a stub, Makhchin's balance was completely gone. The giant falcon entered a deadly tailspin. Mushu dove after the falling predator, and opened his mouth for a blast of fire. Makhchin gave one last screech as he went down in flames… and crashed into death.
The other three focused their energies on fighting Galyn Khaan. Ron had summoned the Lotus Blade, Kim fought with a staff, and Shang used his dagger. It was a dangerous fight for both sides, as Galyn Khaan's size and brute strength was increased by the spirit bond.
But as the team had learned from their research, if one of the bonded pair was injured or killed, the other would follow. Galyn Khaan, despite his resistance to extreme heat, could not handle the raw energy of Mushu's dragon fire. He roared in agony as flames engulfed his body.
Mushu got closer to the ground, allowing Mulan to jump from his back from a safe distance. She ran towards Galyn Khaan, who was burning to death.
Mulan planted her spiked boot on Galyn Khaan's chest, keeping him down and putting out some of the flame. He tried to sit up… and his thick neck met Mulan's gleaming sword. In one clean stroke, the blade sliced through bone and muscle and sinew, and out the other end. The villain's head rolled.
At last, the dream team had achieved their ultimate triumph - defeating Galyn Khaan, for once and for all!