60 Taking Storm's End
Aerion let Daenerys pick any room she wanted, apart from his original one. She picked the one that was relatively close to his. It was almost as extravagant as his own one was, Aerion would've picked that one as well if he were in her situation. Then he went to check on something... well, the secret entrance to be exact. He remembered it vividly, the Dragon made of pure fire. Walking down the staircase took him a few seconds and he wasn't anywhere close to his peak speed.
Let's see if you still live, Dragon God of Fire... Aerios.
Aerion was left disappointed while his cut healed, but he remembered the Dragon's last words.
"May the World tremble under your might, Dragon Emperor... my successor"
It will, soon enough.
~
Aerion watched the sunset as he relaxed on the hill. It had no name, but it certainly had a few memories. The light waves crashing against the island, the clear orange sky and the remaining half of the golden sun. He looked at a map of the Seven Kingdoms he'd taken from Bloodstone's library and began to formulate a plan. Well, it was more like 'which Kingdom to I take first?'. Eventually, he'll be the King of the Seven Kingdoms... no matter where he decided to start his conquest.
Dorne is the closest Kingdom and certainly an ally because of my mother being a Martell. We also have a mutual enemy, the Lannisters. Next is the Stormlands, ruled by House Baratheon... its relatively close and would make a good starting location. I'll take Storm's End first... the unpenetrable fortress and main hold of the Stormlands.
(It's about to get penetrated by Aerion, a Dragon and 30 men.)
"Your world is interesting." Jasmine commentated.
"And all you've seen was a map..."
"Hmph... there's no profound energy in the air. So you weren't lying about coming from a world without cultivation."
"Why would I lie about something like that? But... there are a few people with some unordinary abilities which are classed under the word Magic."
"Do you have any of those unordinary abilities?"
"No... well, if you exclude my heavenly charm." Aerion ran his fingers through his silver hair. Though he wondered if his scale regeneration and transformation was magic.
"You..." Jasmine regained her composure "Allow this princess to remind you that Chu Yueli, a Sky Profound cultivator, dismissed your offer of protection."
"Tch, she didn't dismiss my offer... she considered it and found it inconvenient. That was all."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
Aerion got up and stored the map in his storage ring. He decided to get a good night's sleep and then set off into the Narrow Sea in the following morning. He told the captain of the guards to prepare for the voyage ahead. He didn't say where they were going. In fact, the only thing he said was that it was going to be a four-day journey.
~
"Dany, get dressed, we're leaving soon."
"Already...?"
Aerion smiled. "We don't be at sea for long. Besides, Storm's End should have better accommodations. Though, it does have worse weather. Just make sure you're in an hour or so."
"Alright."
Aerion left her room and closed the door.
One hour... I should rally the men for a short drill.
~
"So this is what your vice captain had to go through?" Davis, the Captain of the guards, asked.
"What did you expect? You navigate, I give you some tips. If a battle arises then I step in and make the aggressors submit, or just annihilate their ship."
"According to the directions you've given me... we might be going to Storm's End, is that the destination."
Aerion nodded. "Yes, we'll be taking that castle."
Davis looked shocked and then he remembered something; the man who stood before him had an enormous Dragon.
"I'm glad I picked the right side, hahaha."
"I'm sure you are."
Over the four day journey, they had encountered a decent amount of ships. Aerion was feeling kind and didn't kill any more than five people, preferring to settle for their gold and goods. They had stocked up on plenty of food and crates of many different resources, the ship was pretty much full. Aerion decided to name the ship 'Brightfyre', paying some homage to another Aerion Targaryen... the one who thought drinking wildfire would make him a Dragon. Although Aerion would never admit it himself, he knew that his family had quite the number of mad people dating back to Maegar I.
"We're stopping here, anchoring the ship and walking to Storm's End."
"We're still over dozen miles away, though," Davis responded.
"Are you planning on climbing up the high hills of Storm's End?"
"No..."
"Then walk."
While walking to Storm's End, Aerion noticed the fertile land around him. He didn't pick a bad Kingdom to start with, after all.
Robert Baratheon... I wish I could see his reaction when he hears of the news. "Y'know Aerion Targaryen? Well, he's back at it again and he's taken Storm's End. What do we do, Your Grace?". He'll probably explode with anger and want Storm's End back. There's no doubt that he'll raise an enormous army to do so. But it won't go as he wants it to, he'll be in for a surprise.
~
There was only one entrance to the Castle of Storm's End, a bridge. A large iron gate laid ahead of this bridge. It was firmly closed. Aerion nodded in approval, the Castle was truly one of a kind and pretty much impenetrable when it comes to any ordinary army. But this was no ordinary army. The Pirate King's Warband included 30 slightly disciplined pirates, a huge Dragon and one Sovereign level cultivator. That's more than enough.
Rhaegal was currently being ridden by Daenerys... well more like commanded. Since Aerion didn't want her to walk the long distance he let her fly the dragon. It's good for morale when the leader is walking with the group, especially when the leader is so charismatic and all-powerful.
"You all wait here, I'll open the gate."
Aerion drew Stormcaller and slowly walked the bridge, towards the gate. A voice called out when he was getting close.
"Who are you?"
"Aerion Targaryen... and I've come to take this castle for myself!"
Aerion appeared next to the guard, on the wall. He turned the wheel and the gate slowly went upwards. The guard charged Aerion but he found himself on the floor instead. He didn't see the attack, all he saw was his blood... and quick death. Other guards became alerted to Aerion's presence, but the gate was already open. One of the guards rushed to a tower and rung a loud bell, the alarm. More and more soldiers rushed to the gate.
"I'll be kind and give a once-in-a-lifetime offer, yield or die."
"Yield to you? We outnumber you one to a thousand and a half."
One thousand, five hundred? I expected a bit less. Oh well, more soldiers for me.
"If you insist on dying, then let's dance."
Aerion stabbed the soldier with Stormcaller and it went straight through his armour, killing him instantly. He decided to have some fun and use his profound skills.
World Ode of the Phoenix, Second Stage, Phoenix Arrow.
"Fire... h-"
About thirty men instantly perished. All one had to do was be in direct contact with it to become a pile of ash. He fired two more arrows, each taking the lives of about twenty men each.
"Need I do anymore? I can burn you all but it wouldn't bring me any pleasure. Come to my side, serve the Rightful King Of The Seven Kingdoms."
After seeing the Phoenix Arrows, many of the soldiers feared Aerion and didn't want to die as their fellow companions did. One, four, a dozen, a hundred... soon the soldiers bent the knee one by one. Aerion floated in the air, a few meters above the ground. He pointed Stormcaller at the ones still standing and killed them off with A Thousand Cuts.
He then grouped the soldiers with his guards and made them storm the rest of Storm's End, taking those who refused to join him prisoner. The most significant person was the castellan, the man in charge of Storm's End in the absence of Renly Baratheon. He hesitated at first but after threatening his life, he joined Aerion. Aerion became the Lord of Storm's End in an hour or so of stabilising everything. The servants didn't seem to mind and the soldiers were less scared of Robert's fury after witnessing Aerion's might.
Aerion sat on the stone throne and observed his surroundings. He saw a few House Baratheon banners hanging on the walls. The black stag in a yellow background, with a crown around its neck. Four words were written in black beneath the stag.
"Ours is the Fury."
Aerion laughed at those words.
The Baratheons will soon meet the fury of the Crimson Dragon and find that the fury of a Stag simply cannot compare. For the Dragon rules the Sky, Earth and Sea! What is a stag to a Dragon? A good meal!
"Castellan, come here."
"What is it, Your Grace?"
"I want you to send ravens to all Seven Kingdoms, including the Riverlands and Crownlands. Send them to the Great Houses, of course."
"And what message do you want to send."
"Give me a piece of paper, I'll write it down and you'll copy it a dozen or so times."
Aerion began to think of an epic speech, once he was satisfied, he began to write it down.
~
I, Aerion Targaryen, have returned and taken Storm's End. I declare Robert Baratheon, The Usurper, a false king. Only one House may ever rule the Seven Kingdoms and that is House Targaryen. Therefore, I shall wage war on the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms! Those who side with the Usurper will be humbled and meet dire consequences for their foolish actions, those who bend the knee will be well rewarded. May The Conquest Begin.
~
When I was satisfied with the final product, I gave it to the castellan.
