Extra's Survival: Raising SSS-Rank Characters Is My Only Option

A certain rumor began spreading around the Wall the following morning.

By evening, there was hardly a man on the Wall who had not heard some version of it.

An injured man had arrived at the sixth mile from the direction of the Great Green Forest.

The scouts had been the first to see him.

He had come out of the treeline barely able to stand. He had managed only four steps beyond the forest before collapsing near the stakes. By the time the men reached him, he had lost so much blood that they could hardly understand how he was still alive.

At first, nobody knew who he was.

It was only when Fennick came to the Third Office that Encrid heard the full account.

”Ansel Corr has returned,” Fennick said.

Encrid looked up from the papers on his desk.

”Corr?”

”The men on watch noticed someone lying near the stakes. They thought it was one of the scouts who had been injured during an outing, so they sent someone out to check.”

Fennick shook his head.

”It was Ansel Corr.”

For a moment, Encrid simply stared at him.

He had spent the last several weeks thinking about the men who had gone into the Great Green. He had imagined them dead more than once, because there had been no other reasonable explanation for their silence. He had also imagined what it would mean if one of them returned.

He had never imagined it would be Ansel Corr.

Corr was not supposed to be the kind of man who came back broken.

Encrid had heard his name long before he had ever met him. The Far Watch spoke of Corr with the quiet respect usually reserved for men who had survived long enough to become part of the Wall’s history. He was careful, experienced, and apparently incapable of making a needless mistake. If Corr went into the forest, he came back.

That was what Kass had said.

And now he had.

”Are you certain?”

”I saw him myself.”

Fennick pulled a chair closer and sat down.

”His left leg is broken. His left hand is completely gone. There is a deep wound across his head, and he has lost an enormous amount of blood. The healers said it was a wonder he survived long enough to reach the Wall.”

”Where are the others?”

Fennick’s expression changed.

”They haven’t found anyone else.”

Encrid said nothing.

Ansel Corr had gone into the Great Green Forest with five other men. They had been missing for more than two months.

Now Corr had returned alone.

”Captain Kass heard the news and ran there himself,” Fennick continued. ”They carried Corr to the healers as quickly as they could. The Lord Commander visited him not long after.”

”Has he woken?”

”No.”

Fennick lowered his voice.

”He has been unconscious since they brought him in. The healers are doing everything they can, but they do not know when he will wake, or if he will.”

Encrid leaned back in his chair.

For the past several weeks, the Great Green Forest had been little more than a growing concern in his mind. The silence from the Far Watch had been unsettling, but it had still been possible to explain it away.

Ansel Corr made that much harder.

”Did he say anything when he was bought back or during treatment?”

Fennick hesitated.

He looked toward the door before continuing.

”One of the healers said Corr was mumbling while they were treating him. He kept repeating the same thing.”

”What?”

Fennick swallowed.

”’It’s coming.’”

Encrid’s expression tightened.

”What else?”

”Nothing that made sense. He kept saying it over and over. ’It’s coming. It’s coming.’”

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Whatever had happened to Ansel Corr, Encrid was certain of one thing.

Corr had seen something in the forest.

Something bad enough to leave one of the Wall’s most experienced scouts missing a hand, with a broken leg and a wound that had nearly killed him.

And now Corr was the only living man who might be able to tell them what was coming.

Encrid stood.

”I’m going to the healers.”

Fennick nodded.

”I thought you might.”

✧ ✧ ✧

The healers’ hall was more crowded than Encrid expected.

Word had spread quickly, and several soldiers stood along the corridor pretending to have business nearby. Nobody said much. Most of them simply wanted to see the man who had returned from the Great Green Forest after everyone had assumed him dead.

Encrid found Captain Kass near the entrance.

The old captain looked as though he had not slept.

”Captain,” Encrid greeted, stopping beside him.

”My lord,” Kass replied when he saw him.

”How is he?”

”Alive.”

Kass looked through the doorway toward the room where Corr was being treated.

”For now, that is all I can tell you.”

”Has he said anything?”

”Nothing useful. He has not regained consciousness.”

Kass was silent for a moment before looking back at Encrid. He seemed to be thinking something before he spoke.

”You wanted proof.”

Encrid said nothing.

”Don’t worry, I am not blaming you.”

Kass said, ”I know you are doing this for the Wall. The council is gathering soon, so you must be agitated.”

Encrid silently stared at Kass. By now, the captain must have heard about everything Encrid had been doing. How many votes he had secured, and how many had turned him down - so it was no use playing dumb with him.

”I thought the commanders might believe some of it if they hear whatever Corr would say.”

Kass just nodded.

”Indeed, if the Council asks you what proof you have,” Kass continued, ”point them toward Corr.”

He gestured toward the room.

”Every commander on this Wall knows what that man is capable of. He has spent years walking into places where other men would not dare to go, and he has always returned with something useful to report.”

His expression hardened.

”Now look at him.”

Encrid followed his gaze.

”His left leg is broken. His hand is gone. He has lost enough blood that the healers are not sure he will survive the night.”

Kass paused.

”If a scout whose entire job is to go out there, see what is happening, and come back - is looking like that, then I do not know what we should expect when whatever did this finally reaches us.”

Encrid looked through the doorway again.

Captain Kass was right, he had wanted proof. And now he had a survivor - he wanted something worse.

✦ ✦ ✦