'My first minion!'

Today was starting off great! I spent the previous morning examining the crystal's growing by the pool, then started working on my den by widening and strengthening it so that I can avoid it falling on my head. After that I spent the the rest of the day on top of the spire watching the rolling hills and the plains far into the distance. By the time the sun set I simply curled up my wings and rested where I was, unbothered by the wind and the cool air it brought with it.

When morning hit I was awoken by movement below me. Only moving my eyes I spotted a black coyote lurking on the outer edges of the caldera staking the area and slowly making their way towards the bridge leading towards the center.

When they make their way over the bridge I see them freeze when they finally spot the crystals and quickly rush towards them while losing almost all caution for their surroundings. Watching it creep towards my treasure proved to be too much and I made my descent planning on crushing the interloper. Unexpectedly it dodges out of the way and when it turns around it freezes.

Taking advantage of its distraction I prepare to set it ablaze. That's when it surprises me by groveling and making piteous noises that after a while I recognize as words and realize that it is begging for its life.

Telling it to speak proper doesn't help and soon it has the audacity to look me in the eyes as if we are equals and so I help it by showing it it's place in the world.

After putting it in its place it proceeds to gesture at itself and uttering gibberish which I assume would be it's name.

"You are Zenze."

With the confirmation of its name it grows excited and I gesture for it to tell me the words of the world around me with its barbaric launguege.

The next days were of me and Zenze practicing on speech and having them answer a few questions when I could grasp the right words only to practice more as I wouldn't be able to understand the answers. When I finally had a decent grasp on the language Zenze turned into a true hoard of knowledge. For one this world is known as the lands under heaven and that we are in the far outskirts of the border of the Emerald Empire and that sects commonly travel out of the empire looking for treasures so that they could EAT it of all things.

It was so ridiculous I laughed. When Zenze insisted that it was true and told of the benefits of doing such a thing I became unsettled. There was no world in which I still lived where I would allow adventures or these cultivators as they were called devour my hoard like pests towards a farmers harvest.

Another interesting thing was that my home was considered a Place of Power and that it would slowly change the landscape around the area has it continues to grow in power. While Zenze exclaimed that there were ways to lessen or hide the changes he also mentioned that he knew not how to do so.

Either way was fine with me.

One would make sure that I was not disturbed by undesirables while the other would bring these so called 'young masters' along with all the treasure they were carrying along with them.

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When I brought up the heat in my chest he exclaimed that what I was feeling was my core and would serve as the purest symbol that I had defied the heavens in truth. Further questions revealed that the blocked sensation that I had been feeling was the meridians within my body and as I started explaining how I had been opening them they grew worried but assured me that it wasn't anything that I needed to worry about. When I asked what would happen if I failed to open one they explained that it would further harden making it significantly harder to open it next time and that I would need to find a treasure capable of weakening it before I would even think to try again.

Eventually I grew hungry and dismissed the servant to the outskirts of my mountain with a warning of what I would do if I caught him within my caldera.

Flying over my territory helped me digest what I had learned and cleared my head a little. I hadn't realized how troubled I was by Zenze's words until I put it into a more familiar perspective.

The way he described these cultivators sounded like would be adventures and wannabe dragon slayers. When I lived with mother I worried for nether as she paid for the former and was so mighty that the latter wasn't considered a possibility.

ignoring these troubling thoughts I focus on the hunt and eventually I spotted two rams challenging each other and wait until they daze each other before going in for the kill.

The second I land on the bigger ram the other bolts with a scream of terror while the one under talons died instantly.

On returning home I spot that Zenze found himself a cave around the middle of the volcano large enough for him to laze in while being able to avoid being washed out.

Landing near the center pool I begin my favorite hobby of waiting my crystals grow. When they first appeared they were the size of a gran of sand and grew entirely around the pool. Now though I can see that a few have fused together and more than tripled in size!

It was around this time that I remembered that I forgot to order Zenze to tell me if he knew if there was a reason why dark smelly sludge was leaking through my scales before I dismissed the thought and took a nap near the soothing heat of my hoard.

Upon waking I notice that the sun is beginning to rise and fetch Zenze to resume my language lessons. When I reach the cave I saw him hanging around the other day I spot the trappings of civilization immediately.

First is the fur rug on the ground with candles near the back lighting the dim space. littered around the place is all manner of nic nacs like mead horns and skulls of probably defeated enemies or animals he fancied.

Not seeing Zenze I exit and return to the sky scanning the area for them. It isn't until an hour later that I spot him. Angling myself so that my shadow passes over him so that they are aware of my presence I soon land a dozen feet away from them while scanning the horizon.

Looking slightly startled he quickly stops eating and starts laying down there piteous apologies about needing food to survive. I let him go on for some time before I acknowledge their presence and interrupt them.

"Stop."

immediate silence follows. Looking towards them finally I address him. "I do not care if you hunt in my lands. But the best prey is for me." Head nodding and praises soon follow and I drone them out.

It is almost shameful to admit that some of the first words that I started recognizing without visual clues were words of praise about my greatness which irritated me but allowed so that they help set a good example for any future servants that I collect.

"When the sun reaches its zenith I want at the caldera to resume my lessons." Without waiting for a response I take off and fly back towards my lair. When entering I notice how barren it is compared to Zenze's and jealousy and rage fill me but I resist the urge to steal from my servant for only the weakest and most pathetic beings bother to rob those below them. So deciding on what my next course of action is I proceed to lay down and rest and wait until midday comes so that I can interrogate Zenze on where any groups of sapients are at and demand tithes in exchange of protection.