Ch 7 - The Game-Changing Meeting

"The Long Night?!" Howland shouted. This was loud enough to get Ellia's attention at the next table. Hanko motioned that it was okay. Ellia decided to take Rhaella and go to their room on the first floor while the three men spoke.

"Yes, I have knowledge that in two winter's time the Long Night will be upon us." Hanko gave stern gazes towards both men. "As it currently is, the North, nor any of the other six kingdoms will be ready for what is coming."

"You make it sound like there will be a war." Ned surmised.

"Because there will be a war," Hanko pointed out. "However it won't be kingdoms fighting each other or even men fighting other men. It will be the living fighting the dead just for the right to live."

"What you are talking about is fantastical." Ned stated.

"Really Lord Stark. You have to but look to your bannerman beside you to understand that there are still mystical forces out there. Howland and his line has wargs and greenseers. Your own bloodline is also blessed with similar attributes. Weirwood trees, though diminishing in number, aren't gone outright. It is not far off to say there might be other things that could be out there now, or even return in the coming years."

"I don't believe you."

"You have every right to not believe me, and even if I showed you an illusion of what is to come, you would most likely think it a mummery and not listen. I will get you proof of my claims in the coming years. In the meantime, what I can provide is progress and prosperity for your realm. So even if what I say is mummery according to you, wouldn't you still benefit from the ideas and things I offer your people? I don't gain anything from doing this. I could just leave right now and let everything awful that will happen happen. Whatever happens to you and Westeros won't affect me as I live in places not reachable to men or White Walkers. I chose to be here and offer these things to you because I also have a sense of right that I think we both share."

Howland nodded. "I have to ask. Recently I've been told of a vision of a large maelstrom that rolls over all of Westeros and the different animal sigils of the different Paramount houses are drawn into the storm as it moves towards the North and eventually to the wall. From what it seemed, the storm and the animal avatars all rained down from the wall to fight a skeleton with such height that it eclipsed even the wall. What is your house sigil."

Hanko smirked. "I do not have a house, but I do have a clan. My clan name is Uzumaki, and in my native language it translates to whirlpool."

Howland grinned. "Then I believe you have a large part to play in the events to come."

"There are more events to talk about however than the Long Night. We need to be prepared for it, but we have to take care of other things before we can hope to be prepared." Hanko diverted to the next topic.

"What could possibly be more important than fighting the supposed white walkers." Ned argued.

"Rallying the living together to fight the dead," Hanko replied. "The rebellion that just happened showed how divided the people are. There are also those behind the scenes that cause strife amongst the great houses and each other. If you remember Lord Stark, Lyanna told you how she sent messages out and notices as to what happened, where she went, and what she did. Now, her saying that clued me into why this location was the worst 'guarded secret' I've ever heard of. This also means however that no one decided to bring that up to the rebel forces; since half the reason the North was fighting would have been voided. Knowing they were hiding this information means someone wanted to keep the war going on strong to get the result they wanted."

Ned had a frown stitched to his face as he also concluded the same. "I had heard about this location by the time I left King's Landing, before going to Storm's End, so I understand how you can say it is the worst guarded secret anyway. Your insinuations tell me that you believe someone or a group was at play however."

"Aye, I believe the Maesters are such a group," Hanko answered. "Think about it. Though Rhaegar was not the most intelligent towards his end, he did realize that someone was wrong with the Citadel when more and more of his family line was being miscarried by his mother and his previous wife. Aerys Targaryen supposedly started out as a great king, however he started to fall further into madness over time. True, it could be that the responsibility of leadership weighs on his mind too much for it to handle, however we cannot dismiss outright that maesters didn't tamper with his mind through remedies or tonics."

Now Ned looked shocked. "You think the maesters would be that intent in their trickery to poison a king and overthrow a dynasty? I don't believe it."

"You just don't want to believe it," Hanko rebutted. "Tell me, the maesters and the Citadel; they are knowledgeable and learned men. Their Citadel is argued to be the greatest accumulated library of knowledge and information for the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms. However when someone controls the flow of information, you can control the way the people think. If you can control enough information to enough people, you can control the masses, and in turn, control the kingdoms."

Ned was looking stern now, however he nodded in understanding he was following Hanko's train of thought.

"Now do I have definitive proof in front of me for these crimes, not yet. But I would warn you to not trust any maester-besides your own. I believe you have a Maester Luwin at Winterfell. You should hold onto him, he is one of the good ones."

"How do you know that?"

"Call it 'greensear dreams' if you want."

Howland's eyes went wide. "Is that part of your 'magic' we saw earlier? So far we have seen you heal someone and put us under illusions."

Hanko sighed. "No, I do not use magic as you would call it. What I use is a different energy called chakra. It is very similar to magic except it also relies on physical energy and not just external or spiritual energy. The people that use chakra are called ninjas where I'm from. There are other things to it, but that's a good summation for now."

Ned looked concerned. "Are we still in your illusion?"

"Yes, you are. If you would like I can release you -"

"Wait!, don't release it just yet." Ned requested. Hanko looked curiously at Ned. He expected Ned to be angry that the illusion was still placed on his mind. The fact that he wasn't angry was indeed curious. "You said you've had 'green dreams' right?" Hanko nodded. "Can you show us through this illusion what you have seen?"

Now that got Hanko thinking. Shi, should I break the fourth wall on this?

I think you should give him glimpses of Jon Snow and the White Walkers, not of his own future. After all, Lord Stark's future being executed didn't necessarily catch up to or do anything at the Wall at the times Jon originally faced the White Walkers.

Good idea, thank you Shi.

Shi snorted in acknowledgement

Hanko nodded in his thoughts. "I will agree to show you this, however I must warn you of how graphic this will be." Both Howland and Ned nodded. "For context, what I will show you is what I know of what used to be the future." Ned looked confused. "My presence here has already changed the future greatly; saving Elia Martell and Lyanna Stark has changed it even further. In this former future, your nephew, son of Lyanna, survived birth and lived hidden in the north with you for some time. Eventually he ended up as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and learned much about leadership, comradery, ranging beyond the wall, and the long night. In his quest to save the living from the dead, he managed to get to a gathering of the Free Folk at Hardhome. At Hardhome, he, the other Free Folk, and a few men of the Night's Watch fought against an army of white walkers and wights to try to save as many as they could before being overrun." Ned paled at this revelation. "Everything will seem incredibly real, however for this illusion I'm making sure we are just spectators so you have no need to worry about being attacked by anything as I control the illusion. I wouldn't move around too much as though the illusion will make it seem we are in a open space, that is just what I'm showing, while in reality we will still be here in the tower foyer. As the events unfold our view will change rapidly so you should have no need to move too far around. What you are about to see is your future nephew Lord Stark from the event called 'The Massacre of Hardhome'." With some concentration from Hanko, the scene around them changed.

The scene started with dogs barking, then the clap of thunder before an eerie silence ensued. Then followed mass panic as the orders where shouted to shut the gate into Hardhome began. The pleading shouts of the free folk now behind the closed gates died in eerie immediance before just as abruptly the siege of the shrieking undead began.

Arrows were fired at the wights who were breaking through the wall, climbing overtop, and some gaining ground from underneath. Though arrows made hits, they didn't fully stop the wights in their tracks. Panic continued as now the formerly calm wildlings were now rushing to the boats and some even braving the freezing water in order to get away from the terrifying undead. A brief glimpse of the man Hanko knew as John Snow caught Ned's attention immediately and his eyes went wide looking at the man his nephew was to become in this future.

The scene changed around them. Now they were in what looked like a hut. Hanko caught Ned and Howland looking up with wide eyes at the only giant in the space of the room. All around them there were still some men of the Night's Watch. The scratching, thuds, screeching, and crawling sounds came from the walls and the roof as wights made their way to the top, spotted their prey, and jumped down. There was a brief stint of fighting as the Night's Watch and the giant engaged the wights inside the tight space. It was almost funny to watch Ned and Howland attempt to dodge the interlopers before the scene changed again.

The scene now centered on Jon as he spoke with a wildling woman and Tormond before commanding the Night's Watch to fight with him as they strode forward to be the shield for the retreating Free Folk. Shortly afterwards the wights broke through the walls of Hardhome and the melee started. After watching the impending demise of the living, an eerie music started to play, and the clouds among the cliff started to make way as the White Walkers showed on their spectral steeds.

The scene changed again. Jon talked about the Free Folk dragon glass stores before starting to make his way through the scene towards a burning hut. Next to Jon the entrance to another hut exploded where the giant was as the giant fought off the wights attacking him like children trying to attach themselves to a grown adult.

Scene change: Jon and another wildling ended up at the burning hut when a white walker came in from the other side. As he walked, the flames disappeared around the undead's immediate area. Quickly both living people communicated as the wildling went forward to face the white walker while Jon looked for the dragon glass. The battle was quickly over however as the white walker's blade turned the wildling's blade into shards, and then stabbed the wildling, killing him. Suddenly Jon was now in a losing battle against the white walker.

Ned looked on in agitation, even knowing that this was an illusion of events that will now never be, he was still worried for his potential family and at the power and strength shown by the white walker as they faced off. At one point Jon tried using a regular sword against the white walker, however just like the wildling, the sword also broke into shards upon contact with the white walker's blade. The white walker then knocked Jon down and Ned thought it might be the end for his family member. They all watched as white walker stalked towards the downed Jon. Right as the white walker swung his weapon for a killing blow, Jon found Longclaw in the snow where he lost it before, his valyrian steel sword, and brought it up in defense. This stopped the white walker's blade and his valyrian steel sword didn't shatter. The surprise from all watching parties, including the White Walker, did not last long. Jon quickly dodged the walker's first counter attack, then parried the second one away to make his opening and strike the white walker down into shards of glass, making the white walker no more.

Scene Change: The free folk woman Jon was speaking to before was looking on in horror as she was facing a group of standing child wights before they abruptly descended upon her madly; ending her life.

Scene Change: Jon in his tiredness and agony desperately wanted the dragon glass, however his second in command adamantly refuses saying they will die if they don't leave now. Then a fresh horror begins as a tidal wave of wights falls into Hardhome from the cliff overlooking it.

Scene Change: Wight overflow and topple the very walls around Hardhome as they swarm in from the opposing side. The giant now known to the spectating three as Won-won first holds off some of the wights and then runs with the rest of the survivors as they try to escape by sea.

Scene Change: The living that have escaped by boats now look on at the shoreline as they watch those that couldn't escape fall by the hands of the wights and walkers. As the last of the screams die out the Night King appears among his army.

The three spectators are now floating above the water as their viewing angle follows the receding direction of the boat Jon is in. They see the grotesque visage of the Night King as he stands on the end of the pier, looking at the escaping living people in nonchalance as he raises his arms. All around and behind him the recently fallen now rise up as the undead and also turn to look at the escaping living. The scene provides both foreboding and dread as the small boat floats away towards the sea.

Hanko finally ends the illusion, completely releasing the men from his illusions and gives them a moment to acclimate themselves back to the present.

Minutes passed as there was silence among the group. One or two servants passed by, looked at the expressions of horror etched on the northmen of the group, and then quickly escaped to their respective destinations, not wanting to know what had made the stoic men of the north so frightened.

Ned was the first to respond from his stupor. "How...what...gods."

"Keep in mind Lords," Hanko directly speaking to them seemed to quickly bring their attention back to the present. "Though what I showed was of future events that will no longer happen, the numbers of the wights, the power of the white walkers, and their weaknesses are all too real."

"No regular weapons can face the white walkers as they just shatter, and wights don't fall to them either," Howland pointed out.

"I saw that my nephew had a valyrian steel sword. I couldn't make it out with all that went on."

"If you really want to know, the sword was Longclaw."

"The sword of the Mormonts," Ned chimed in, "Something must have happened to the Mormonts in order for their ancestral sword to be with my nephew."

"Events in that future played out where your nephew was the best of few options at the time," Hanko explained.

"What is the 'dragon-glass' they kept going on about?"

"Dragon glass, also known as obsidian, was proven by that time to be able to stop wights and white walkers when used as weapons against them."

"We will have to start trying to find dragon glass immediately then-" Ned started to pace now slightly away from the table as he spoke aloud his thoughts. "We need to find deposits of it and mine it to start making weapons right away."

"I'm surprised Lord Stark," Hanko spoke to bring him out of his thoughts. "I would have thought it would take more than that to convince you."

Ned shook his head. "I have not heard of illusions like you just did to show me what could have been. If there is someone that can do show scenes like that and with such realism, then it is not so far-fetched to believe that what they showed actually exists." Ned started speaking his thoughts aloud again. "There is so much we have to prepar-"

"I think you are slightly getting ahead of yourself Ned," Howland spoke to his liege lord. "From what Lord Hanko has confirmed, we have some time yet before these events would have occurred."

"Lord Stark, I also have plans that will help you, the north, and the rest of the seven kingdoms." Hanko appealed to Ned. "Besides what I have shown you before, I have many means both utility and martial abilities that allow me to not boast, but outright promise I am the most powerful individual on the continent when it comes to martial might and potential economic invention. I plan on dealing with all the great houses eventually and will garner enough renown that they must treat with me and mine respectfully, and indirectly, the north."

"Do I even-no I don't want to know more about your abilities. It will give me plausible deniability that I don't know and I don't think I could take further shock." Ned concluded with murth at his own ignorance.

Hanko smiled, "You are learning Lord Stark." Hanko motioned to the entrance to the tower. "Since we have been gone for a while we best get you back to your men. I would ask that you have them camp outside the tower for the evening. We will tell them that you plan on staying until the next day for the funeral of your sister. I will be able to provide a 'fake body' that will be covered in white cloth so they won't be able to discern features. After coming to a consensus with 'those in the tower' you will follow halfway through with the Targaryen customs of burning their dead to ash. Do not worry, you will be able to convince your men that you were able to make a deal to take the ashes home with you to the crypts of Winterfell."

"To fake Lyanna's death," Ned concluded.

Hanko nodded. "We then have reason to look like we are packing up to leave as your group leaves to go back to your army and eventually the North."

Ned walked and started to go to the entrance before Hanko stopped him. "Wait, I have something for you."

Hanko clapped his hands together and with a puff of steam, a Hiraishin kunai came into being. This particular kunai was intricately designed with fuinjutsu not just on the hilt but around the rest of the kunai. Ned and Howland seeing this weapon appear immediately tensed before relaxing. They realized that if Hanko had really wanted to do anything before, they wouldn't have stood a chance."

"By throwing this into the ground this will activate and both notify me as to your location and act as a beacon that I can instantly appear overtop of." Both northmen again looked surprised at this latest revelation. "If the blade is clean of blood that tells me you need to talk or are in private and not currently having an emergency. At least I would hope you are in private when you use it. If there is blood on the blade when you throw it, it tells me your life is in immediate danger. I don't give this out to many people so please use this with confidence that I'm offering my services meaningfully. This particular one allows you to use it multiple times, making it even more rare."

Ned practically stammered out. "So you can only see it and navigate to it once I throw it right?"

Hanko chuckled. "Yes, I won't know where you are at all times and I won't be able to peep on you in the nude or bumping-uglies with your wife." Ned frowned while Hanko still grinned. Ned decided to leave the conversation and walk towards his men. Hanko followed only to fill in the Kingsguard themselves.

The scene seemed almost comical when they came out to it as the two groups were still staring at each other warily.

Ned and Howland joined back up with their group and made a circle around themselves while Hanko addressed the Kingsguard.

"I hope you knights can also act well," Hanko requested. "I need you to act angry and sad. I have asked Ned to tell his men a lie, the lie being that Lyanna Targaryen is dead." The men's eyes went wide and Hanko interjected before things got out of hand. "Good, keep that shock and anger on your face, but remember, it is a lie. We are going to act like she is dead until the men leave. Am I understood?"

They all nodded once before Ser Oswell acted mad by kicking a rock on the ground and stalking off back to the tower. Arthur and Gerold Hightower played the part of mad and were making rude faces at Hanko and whispering with hunched backs as they were acting menacing while asking more questions.

"What are we going to do when they want to take Lyanna's body home."

Hanko told them of the plan he already told Lord Stark.

"Why Starfall?" Arthur asked now that his home was brought up as their destination after the Tower of Joy.

"Because I plan on helping your sister with her birth coming up." Arthur now looked concerned. "I have reason to believe that without help it will not go well so I plan on getting both her and the baby through it."

Arthur looked shocked at first. He was about to bend the knee to Hanko to thank the ninja, but Hanko stopped him in time. "Don't do that, we have an audience remember?"

"Lord Hanko," Arthur intruded. "If you claim to do as you say and save my sister as well as her child, I will owe you a life-debt that I will gladly pay with my service."

"I'd normally say 'what about your vows to the Kingsguard' but even I'm not dumb enough to assume that we are still considered part of the Kingsguard after this." Ser Gerold thought out loud.

"I would gladly take you both in my service, however what I ask for would not be what you think."

"What would you ask us to do?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that, it seems I have to continue acting," Hanko said looking up to see Lord Stark coming towards them.

"We plan on moving out at first light, my men and I will camp out here while you prepare the Lady Targaryen for your part of the rites." Ned stated in his bland and emotionless expression. Hanko didn't know if Ned was aiming for the 'quiet wolf' act while in front of his men, or he wanted to feign holding back disgust at the mention of his sister being a Targaryen.

"I understand, we will prepare her body for the rites and hold the pire tonight," Hanko confirmed. He then turned back and headed towards the tower, motioning for the Kingsguard to stay where they were to keep up the act.

Hanko was able to prepare the body of a lean bandit he found and killed during his month stay and the groups of both Ned's bannermen and the Kingsguard worked together to collect and gather the materials to build the pire. By the time everything was done it was already evening and the sun was just setting. Hanko sent a clone to attend the funeral as he stayed with Lyanna to continue healing her. The clone stayed behind the pyre where no one could see, completing the ignition jutsu to start the pire. The groups stood and watched. Everyone was in their own thoughts as the fire continued. Once the fire was done the sun had already set and Ned's men went to help their liege lord pile up some ashes. Hanko's clone had an earthen jar ready off to the side that he handed to Ned.

Ned's eyebrows raised but the clone thwarted his question. "If I gave you a bigger jar, you would have a hard time traveling with it." Ned sighed and nodded before going towards his men and taking a part of the ashes into the jar.

The night passed without incident. Hanko and the Kingsguard went back to the direct entrance of the tower and the next day at first light, the tower's occupants made ready to leave while Ned's group left in a slow procession.