Asoiaf: I Have a Wolverine Template

Chapter 65

Chapter 65: A Strange Request
...
Richard POV

Looking around, I found myself once again in a familiar place—the void. Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction, a boundless expanse untouched by light or sound.

Nothing stirred, save for my own body, suspended weightless in the sea of black.

I'd grown used to this place. Every so often, once a moon or two, I would return here—summoned by the strange man.

At first, I didn't understand why. But after four meetings with him, his intentions had become somewhat clearer.

We'd even struck a deal a couple moons back.

"Stop messing with me and show yourself," I said into the void. My voice was muffled, swallowed by the darkness—but I knew he heard me.

As expected, the realm shifted almost instantly.

The endless black gave way to color, the void transforming into a world of substance.

I now stood in a vast green field beneath a wide, blue sky. Vibrant hues swept across the nothingness, birthing an endless grassland beneath my feet.

The scent of wildflowers drifted on the breeze—sharp and sweet—mingling with the crisp tang of open air. The grass danced with the wind, each blade swaying like waves in a living sea of green.

It all seemed too real—too vivid—but I knew it was nothing more than an illusion.

I glanced around, searching for the man who had summoned me once again. It didn't take long to find him.

There, in the distance, atop the highest hill in this conjured realm, stood a lone figure.

Even from afar, I could make out the details of his back. He sat in a chair, his shoulder-length golden hair catching the wind, flowing almost theatrically in the breeze.

I continued toward him. This man—once a stranger—had shown me countless visions.

Visions of Alicent dying in the birthing bed, the fall of the Lionheart family, Braavos engulfed in flames, and Westeros drowning in chaos.

Each vision was a piece of a larger puzzle—one I had assembled on my own. His only hint was that the visions held the key to his motives, and his identity.

Driven by those glimpses and his cryptic clues, I immersed myself in them. I scrutinized every detail until, slowly, I uncovered the truth.

The more I reflected, the clearer it became. I started to believe he wasn't here to harm me—but to help. And beyond that... I uncovered his secret.

I finally reached him. Without turning, he gestured for me to sit—already aware of my presence.

Without a word, I moved to the seat across from him, avoiding his gaze. I sat swiftly—then looked up.

A familiar face met mine. So familiar, there was no room for doubt. In our last meeting, I had uncovered his identity—and his motive.

He was me.

Or rather, a version of me from the future. He seemed to have come back in the past, burdened by misfortune and regret, seeking to rewrite what had once gone wrong.

Once I learned the truth, he had no choice but to reveal his true form.

Same green eyes, golden hair, jawline, cheekbones, nose, and complexion as me.

The only differences were his height, he was shorter—and the maturity etched into his face. Subtle, but telling. And I knew they weren't accidents.

It's just a theory, but I believe he tampered with something to communicate with me, his past self.