Targaryen Who Turned Dragon

My day started with a middleaged man slamming my door open with a mighty kick. The thunderous sound instantly woke me up.

"What are you doing? SLEEPING? SLEEPING??? YOU SHOULD BE AWAKE AND SHARP HOURS BEFORE I ARRIVE! AND HERE YOU ARE SLEEPING AND... ARE YOU HUGGING A BOOK?! I can't even-... GET YOUR A.S.S READY IN TWO MINUTES OR ELSE YOU WILL BE EATING GRA.S.S FOR A HUNDRED DAYS!"

I was the most scared I've ever been in my entire life! I quickly stood up and immediately put on the uniform and left my room.

"Hmm... took you a solid minute. You will be the one setting up the tents, hunting for food AND making the fire. Am I clear?"

This man... he makes me nervous, he is no ordinary master.

"Yes... crystal clear."

"Crystal clear... who? MASTER SHUN ZHI! Say it again."

"Yes, Master Shun!"

"Good..."

Shun Zhi looked around at the other disciples, who stood outside my door, and started counting them. I counted myself and found out that there were ten disciples, including myself.

"All of you are here, let's get going. Single file march, behind me."

The disciples silently got in a single file line without any problems, probably due to the presence of the overbearing master. No one asked where we were going, in fact, no one even spoke. The only sound that filled the long halls were footsteps. Shun Zhi took out a key from his storage ring and unlocked a door that led to an underground passage. We walked through the underground passage until we reached the very end. There was a button on the right wall, which the master pressed. The end of the cave opened up, the sun's light shone through the mine. We exited and the master pressed another button which was well engraved onto a large tree. The entrance closed up.

"This is one of many underground entrances that the Sect has created over the years, make sure to remember where it is located... it might save your lives one day."

Then we travelled for a while until we reached the middle of a forest. Shun Zhi waved his hand and four unstretched tents dropped to the floor.

"Well... Jun Long, is it? Get to work."

I understood what he meant, I took a few minutes to form the tents. Some of the other disciples tried to help me but Shun Zhi would have none of it. Eventually, I finished setting up the tents.

"Well? I DON'T SEE ANY MEAT..."

I quickly walked away to look for an animal to catch. I could see the others laughing as I was getting further away. Sigh... life is so unfair.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LAUGHING FOR? I WANT A HUNDRED PUSH-UPS FROM ALL OF YOU, STARTING NOW!"

When I heard that a smile rose on my face. Serves them right.

~Meanwhile in Westeros.

"My Lord... King Robert has reached the coast."

Duncan nodded depressingly, he already knew that. After the release of King Robert and the disappearance of their own King, the war heavily tipped in favour of the Iron Throne. Robert took advantage of the situation, he bought and gathered every last ship in the Seven Kingdoms and went out to invade Stepstones. All pirates, both rebels and loyalists, felt great sorrow and regret (especially rebels). If the rebellion never happened Aerion wouldn't have a reason to go to the southern islands (where the storm was), which would mean that he would still be alive. The forces of King Robert have already eliminated most of the pirates in Stepstones, only about three hundred remain in Bloodstone.

Tears flowed down Duncan's cheek as he spoke.

"What would... have the... Dragon... our King have done if... he was still... he...here? He...h, I already know what he would have... done. He... would have grabbed his greatsword... and fought those... bastards head on... and... won."

Jon was still well composed (on the outside) and critical

"Aerion wouldn't want us to die for no reason, I suggest we leave before they find us. Then perhaps we could find his last relatives and protect them, isn't this the reason he came a pirate? Wouldn't it put his mind at peace to see them alive and well?"

Duncan wiped the tears off his face with his arm. A newfound purpose filled Duncan with energy... he could still serve his King by protecting his family.

"Yes... it would."

~

It seemed to me that Shun Zhi is the calmest, most noble man on earth until someone does something wrong... that's when all hell breaks loose and that "special" someone has to do a million pushups. Within just ten days, three of the disciples already quit. Their excuse was that Shun Zhi was too strict and that they could try again later, hopefully with a less strict master. It made me shake my head, Shun Zhi is the man for the job. Shun Zhi is strict because he wants to prepare disciples, physically and mentally, for missions. Sometimes missions will get hard and you can't just "give up" or "do it next time", you have to be resilient and pull through. This new realisation made me think of Shun Zhi in a different light... I started to admire the master.

(Narrator)

Currently, the remaining seven disciples were laughing and talking to each other. Shun Zhi had gone off to "get some rocks" and so, the disciples finally relaxed and let themselves go. The girls were gossiping and giggling while the boys were sparring each other for fun (with the swords Shun Zhi provided). At first glance, they looked like ordinary teenagers.

"Damn you, Aerion... you're too good!"

I shrugged and smiled.

"I learnt from the best."

Liu Lei, my new friend, looked interested.

"Who might that be?"

Memories surged into me as I tried to remember... who did teach me? Then I remember... Viserys, Duncan, the many soldiers I killed, Robert and... Izanami. Then more faces appear including Robb, Daenerys and Jon. I... how could I forget them so easily!? I've been living life as if none of it happened... is this what's to become of me? A cultivator... instead of a King? As time passes, will I... forget it all?

"Long... are you alright?"

I nodded and walked away.

"Yeah, I'll be fine... I just need some time to reflect on something."

"Alright, don't get lost in the woods!"

~

I sat staring at a waterfall for a while, then I made a decision.

"If there's a way for me to come back... I will find it, no matter the cost, even if I have to shatter the Heavens! I will get stronger and stronger... until I find a way to return to my World!"

Yeah... shatter the Heavens. I laugh, this world and cultivation are truly changing me. Then a shout fills the entire forest and surrounding land.

"JUN LONG IF YOU DON'T GET OVER HERE IN THREE MINUTES THERE WILL BE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES."

Well, time to run! I ran for my life and reached the camp in just thirty seconds. I myself was quite surprised with how quickly I got there. I looked around and saw seven boulders on the floor. The size of the boulders ranged from normal to half the size of a human! I already knew which one Shun Zhi was going to make me lift, the biggest one of course!

Shun Zhi looked at me, with a hint of shock.

"You came here... quicker than expected. Anyway... let's get to this day's trial. Today you all will be lifting your boulder a hundred times, without using any cultivation! If I see anyone using their cultivation, everyone will restart from ZERO! So... be sure not to cheat."

Making everyone restart if one person cheats, a great tactic. Not only will you get punished by the master, but your own friends and fellow disciples would also turn on you. The man is a genius at being strict.

"Jun Long, you will be lifting that one... Liu Lei that one... Tai Xia that one..."

He picked which boulder each disciple was going to lift, my prediction was correct. I got the biggest one. Why? Because he sees me as "the most promising disciple", whatever that means. Perhaps Tai Wentian told him about me defeating the Tiger with ease... of course, he did! Shun Zhi clearly isn't training me just to be an average disciple, he's training me to be one of the best. That's why everything is made harder for me... then I noticed something. The girl named Tai Xia... she has a boulder only slightly smaller than mine. Who is she? She looks similar to Quin... she's probably his sister. Heh, I've seen what Tai Quin can do, she must be strong since she's from the same family.

"GET GOING! LIFT... AND DROP! LIFT AND DROP! LIFT AND DROP!"

Everyone follows in rhythm until the fifteenth lift. Some start slowing down but Shun Zhi's encouragement keeps them going at a decent pace. By the thirtieth lift, I start feeling tired. How am I supposed to do a hundred if I can barely do thirty?!

"COME ON... YOU'RE A DRAGON, LONG! KEEP GOING!"

"But I..."

"NO QUESTIONS! ONLY LIFTING!"

Right, I can do this... can't I?

An image of the Crimson Dragon roaring appeared and it filled me with fire (energy). I looked down at the rock and started to lift it... and drop it. I didn't take a break, count or think at all. I just did it. Eventually, though, the energy faded. Then the pain and exhaustion hit... I could barely move. Shun Zhi looked astounded... I wonder why? I looked around and saw that the others were resting and watching me. Are they all done...?

"You're truly something else..."

~

Later I found out that I lifted and dropped the boulder a hundred and fifty times. A HUNDRED AND FIFTY TIMES. Currently, we were all relaxing as it was getting dark. The meat, which came from a few rabbits I caught, was being cooked by Shun Zhi himself. While that was happening a girl, Tai Xia sat down next to me.

"Lifting that kind of boulder without any cultivation a hundred and fifty times... you've impressed me, Silver Dragon. Continue the good work."

She leaned forward and kissed my left cheek. Then she briskly walked away. Did she just... kiss me? It took me a few seconds to recover from the shock. Liu Lei walked up to me, with a worried expression.

"Xia kissed you... you know what that means?"

"What do you mean? Is it a bad thing?"

"Of course it is! You fool... you should've just kept your distance! She is the daughter of the Grandmaster and a master of playing with other people's emotions! You would start loving her and then, when she's done with you, she'd dump you like some piece of trash."

"Damn... she's beautiful. Whatever... I'll avoid her from now on."

"It might be too late, she has already marked you as hers."

I laugh and shake my head at that comment.

"Marked? Hah, I do not belong to anyone but myself!"

"I see... just be careful, ok?"

"Don't worry, Lei, I will."

Liu Lei turned around and pointed at the fire.

"The food's almost ready, want to go and sit with me?"

"Yes, of course."

Plays with emotions, eh? We'll see how that turns out for you, Xia.

~ Day 20

One of the seven disciples had recently quit the training, Shun Zhi pulled out a sound transmission talisman (a one-time use message) to call for a master to come and pick her up. Now there only remained three boys and three girls, making six disciples in total.

"I don't know... Long, I might quit. This training is way too hard... next time I'll be ready..."

I looked at Liu Lei in disbelief, this man is really going to quit... after twenty days! No, as a good friend, I won't let him!

"No... you can't. There is no next time... what were those twenty days of hard work for?! Nothing? No! You must keep going or else it was all a waste of time!"

"But... I... it's too difficult!"

"Difficult, eh? Do I have to beat you into submission? Keep yourself straight, we still have eighty days to go through!"

"Alright... I'll try to complete this training..."

"That's the spirit."

Now that I'm assured Liu Lei isn't going to quit on me, I relax and wait for Shun Zhi's next instruction. Eventually, he returns, and he has a smile on his face. A smiling Shun Zhi... it means that he's about to make us do something very, VERY difficult.

"Well, it seems that I've found a real-life situation for you all..."