Tuli

Blazing Slash Ability Stone A searing slash of raging flames. Deals close-combat Fire damage to one target. May only be used by fire dragons. 500 Required Level: 5

Tuli Jaded • Critical • Capable "Murder is a business decision, and unfortunately for him, my father was a poor businessman."

Almost as soon as she hatched, Tuli was a source of grave concern for her home Clan. Her siblings' talents for war varied, as any group of siblings did, but Tuli seemed to be born for it in a way few others were. Whispers of alarm borne on the wings of Aodh's legacy, and his backslide in temperament, swarmed through her home Clan. The fire burned brightly inside Tuli. Gentle correction, explanation when she was young, may have shifted her course... but the fear of another monster borne of aptitude isolated Tuli from everyone around her who might have offered companionship. Connection was always conditional: make yourself small to be tentatively let in. Even as ready for war as her Clan was. Even with the darkness creeping in from below. Tuli's temperament was extreme enough for concern.

Some even thought she was a sign that Aodh's recent malignant backslide was permanent. Inherent, not learned. He was the only one who seemed to take pride in her, and therefore, he was the only one Tuli was willing to listen to.

But he wasn't enough, and she knew it.

Tuli had her father's voice, and every request came across as demand, and the only way to make herself small was not to speak at all. She tried many other things to define herself, but she just wasn't good at anything besides violence. So she made peace with being largely alone, and with it, let her heart calcify. They'd decided she was a monster even when she tried her hardest, so she stopped trying. Too-rough play as a hatchling turned to dangerous sparring practices as a teenager-- not lethal, never permanent damage, but she made others keenly aware that they lived only because she chose to spare them.

She could see Aodh's relationships and friendships delaminating, flaking away like the layers of an old shoe. Maybe it was just her fate.

Perhaps out of fear of the monster growing inside, someone attempted to take her life in her sleep on a hunting expedition. Tuli didn't hesitate. It wasn't lethal... but the other dragon forever wished it was. Her "self-defense" was meant to be a message. She'd never felt the warmth of the village. Maybe she'd feel it if she burnt it down.

The Warden pulled her aside and started speaking at uncharacteristic length. How the same fire had driven her father to madness, and the loss of his own flame, so many years ago. He played it very smart. Tuli was too hurt and angry to appeal to her heart, so he appealed to her sense of reason: a weapon that strikes unbidden is unreliable, but one with perfect balance is extremely valuable in the right hands. And everyone at home now saw her as completely unreliable and dangerous.

Sending Tuli away almost certainly saved her life, but it definitely saved her soul. In the moment, she hated her home Clan for "giving up" on her. Upon retrospect, as an adult, she was grateful that they sent her somewhere that could help, especially since her reputation at home had been poisoned from the start.

Tuli ended up going South. She'd never felt such cold before, and the residents of the Southern Icefield had rarely felt such heat. But Clan AXQU's trainer had no preconceived notions of Tuli, and he saw a solution that those closest to her couldn't: engage her brain. Combat training was cut with lessons in strategy and diplomacy, and restraint was framed as a challenge of strength and control. Tuli wouldn't mellow until she aged, but under Eclipse's tutelage, she honed her mind just as sharply as she honed her body. And, with the benefit of restraint being a source of pride, Tuli was able to make a fair few friends.

One of which included a dangerous warlord with a long history of violence. Tuli understood the rage and hate he felt inside, and she could see the rejected little boy going septic underneath. Tuli had to have him, but only on her own terms. The danger was part of the thrill. She learned so much from their sparring sessions, and chipped away at him bit by bit. She would have him, but only after he left behind his weakness. She wound herself through the cracks in his brain, very deliberately tormenting him with her presence.

She could've had almost anyone. There were no shortage of suitors who would've treated her with the utmost respect and kindness. But Tuli had always craved conquest. She would be Zerah's downfall and make him thank her for it. She would own his mind and heart. It would only be a matter of time.

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Dividers by osiem.