A Path To Omniscience

The weight of Asher's words, paired with the cold edge in his voice, cast a silence so thick it was almost tangible. Even Indigo stopped talking, frozen, her gaze fixed on Asher as if trying to gauge whether he was serious. Her group was even more trapped, caught in a loop of uncertainty, each glance shared between them a silent question of whether to listen or act.

But their hesitation kept them rooted in place. The tense standoff stretched on until a distant noise began to ripple through the air—a sound unmistakably familiar to anyone from Atlas or Mantle: an airship. And none of them had to wonder what kind.

The only airships allowed to fly over Atlas and Mantle belonged to the military, the police, or contracted security forces overseen by Atlas Academy. As soon as the airship came into view, its purpose was clear. Small, only slightly larger than a car, with a metallic gray finish, it looked more like a compact jet, its wings small and streamlined. It hovered over their street, dual engines shifting downward to stabilize it mid-air, allowing it to hover like a helicopter, and a spotlight flashed onto them from underneath its chin.

A commanding voice boomed through a speaker.

[Attention! This is Glacier Guard Security! Step away from Asher Frostvale immediately and cease all hostile actions! Drop your weapons immediately and comply with our instructions! Failure to comply will result in direct intervention! We are authorized to use deadly force if necessary. Drop your weapons now and remain where you are!] 

Indigo's eyes widened, her chest tightening as the weight of the situation hit her. Panic sparked in her voice as she called out to her group, desperation coloring her words.

"All of you, run! Forget about me—just get out of here, now!" Asher turned his gaze down to her, his tone steady, almost casual.

"It's good you understand the situation, but you're a bit late," he remarked before glancing over to Liv.

"You can stop pointing the rifle at her now." Liv, caught between the airship's arrival and the unfolding chaos, looked to Asher, uncertain.

"Are you sure? What if she tries to run?" Asher shook his head, unhurried.

"As I said, it's too late to run." Just as the words left his mouth, a rumble shook the ground. Indigo's group barely had a chance to process her desperate warning before realizing they no longer had an option. The source of the rumbling revealed itself, sealing their fate.

From around both corners of the street, four large, eight-wheeled trucks rolled into view, their builds far from anything civilian. The front cabins, lined with thick, reinforced glass and solid metal, offered a glimpse of the two drivers inside each vehicle. Parking side-by-side, the trucks formed an unbreakable barricade across both ends of the road.

The drivers pressed a button on each console, and the back of each truck began to open, mechanical ramps extending down to the street. A moment later, the heavy thud of boots and barked orders filled the air as men in heavy, black tactical gear poured out, swiftly assembling into formation.

These weren't Atlas Military soldiers clad in high-tech armor, but their tactical vests, covering from neck to waist, and the long protective gloves stretching from hand to elbow suggested they handled things with a bit more tact. Each one bore the Glacier Guard logo: a black fist covered in frost, embroidered on their hats. As they raised their assault rifles, the red marks on their magazines revealed they were armed with combustion dust ammunition.

In mere seconds, Indigo and her group were fully surrounded. Over thirty-two men had disembarked, eight from each truck, completely sealing off any hope of escape.

"Oh, shit! Shit!" One of the Faunus swore aloud, frozen in place as any thoughts of running fled his mind after seeing the airship and hearing Indigo's desperate warning.

"Wait, that kid is one of the Frostvales?" Another murmured, replaying the airship's announcement in his head.

"Dammit, what made any of you think robbing him was a good idea?" He hissed, frustration clear in his voice. Except for Indigo and the other Faunus who'd glimpsed Asher's passport, the rest had no clue who he was, assuming he was just a kid from Atlas.

As they stood in tense silence, the booming commands from the Glacier Guard security forces cut through the air.

"Drop your weapons now! Hands in the air!"

"Do it! Now, or we will shoot!" The security team's focus centered on the Faunus holding a handgun, seemingly Indigo's second-in-command. Hot-tempered as he was, he grasped the gravity of the situation, letting out a low, irritated growl as he tossed the gun to the ground and raised his hands.

"All of you, drop them," he muttered to the others, who didn't need telling twice. The Faunus around him followed suit, and the group on the opposite side of the street quickly mirrored them. Liv let out a shaky sigh of relief, finally relaxing.

"That was horrible..." She murmured, only to tense up again as one of the Glacier Guard soldiers turned his command toward her.

"We said, put the weapon down!" He pointed sharply at her, and Liv's eyes dropped to the rifle she was still gripping. With a startled jolt, she dropped it as if it were burning hot and raised her hands high.

"Sorry, sorry!" She stammered, her voice laced with a nervous apology. Meanwhile, the team leaders of each eight-man unit coordinated over their radios, relaying instructions to secure the scene.

[Team 1, preparing to move in and secure hostiles.]

[Team 3, ready to assist with securement.]

[Team 2, prepared to secure the VIP.]

[Team 4, stationary and primed.]

With the hostiles disarmed, a portion of the Glacier Guard security forces advanced, guns still trained on the Faunus as they approached. Coordinated as planned, Teams 1 and 3 moved in on the surrendered Faunus, cuffing them and guiding them to a single area where they were made to kneel on the sidewalk.

Meanwhile, Team 2 approached Asher, confirming his safety and checking for injuries.

"Sir, I'm a medical specialist. You're safe now," the specialist assured him, eyes scanning him for any signs of distress, though surprisingly not finding any.

"Are you experiencing any pain, dizziness, or difficulty breathing?" Though Asher insisted he was fine, the specialist went through the motions, ensuring he was unharmed. Then, they moved on to Liv, who—though visibly shaken—was only bruised from tackling Indigo and wrestling the rifle away.

Indigo stayed silent as they cuffed her and led her to join her group, kneeling beside them on the sidewalk. The searing glare she fixed on Asher, though, left no doubt about her feelings, burning with a silent, unspoken fury.

Once the medical specialist finished examining Liv and reported on the radio that both Asher and Liv were unharmed, they proceeded to check on the driver. He had remained seated in the car, rigid, waiting for clear permission to exit.

"You handled that well. It would've been a lot harder to get through that without your help." Asher's tone had shifted, catching Liv off guard as he returned to that gentle balance between kindness and formality he'd slipped from during the encounter.

She saw his light smile and let out a sigh, chuckling softly.

"So, basically, you're saying you'd have found a way out of that mess even if I hadn't been here?"

"I'm saying I would have tried," he replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Whether it would've worked or not, who knows." The way he avoided giving a clear answer made her laugh again.

"With the way you talk, you'd make a great lawyer if this whole world-shaping plan of yours falls through," she teased. Asher smirked, but his attention shifted to the sound of another vehicle approaching. He turned to see a familiar car pulling up—it looked identical to the one he and Liv had been riding in, a company vehicle.

The car door practically flew open as Asher's mother stepped out, her eyes darting anxiously around. Her chest rose and fell with quick, worried breaths, and the tension in her gaze softened the moment she spotted him. Relief washed over her face as she hurried toward him.

"Asher!" She called, dropping to her knees the instant she reached him, paying no mind to her dress, which made it clear she had come straight from the office as she pulled him into a fierce hug.

As she nearly squeezed the life out of him, Asher glanced up to see his father exiting the car as well, visibly relieved. He let out a long, weary sigh before walking over. The hug only lasted a moment before his mother pulled back, hands moving swiftly to check him for any sign of injury—his neck, his arms, even under his clothes.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" She asked, her voice edged with emotion.

"Don't worry, Mother, I'm fine. The medical specialist already checked me over," Asher reassured her with a warm smile.

"Glad to hear it," his father muttered, casting a calculating glance around the scene. His gaze settled on the kneeling Faunus, now being unmasked and identified, a brief, dark glint flashing in his eyes before he turned to Liv.

Noticing his look, Liv raised a hand dismissively, managing a light tone.

"Oh, I'm fine—no need to worry about me. Though, as ashamed as I am to admit it, it was Asher who kept things under control. I'm not sure we'd have come out of this unscathed without him."

His father raised an eyebrow, a hint of admiration crossing his face.

"Oh, is that right?"

Asher's mother, however, didn't seem as impressed, her brows knitting together as she looked at him intently.

"You didn't do anything dangerous or risky, did you?" She asked, her tone heavy with concern. Asher merely glanced over at Liv, clearly passing the responsibility to her. His mother followed his gaze, her expression expectant. Liv's face twitched as she let out a nervous laugh.

"Well… 'danger' and 'risk' can be a bit, uh, flexible in meaning..." Liv's voice trailed off, searching for a way out of the explanation. Just then, Team 1's Leader approached, giving Liv the perfect escape as all attention turned toward him. He spoke respectfully as he addressed Asher's parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Frostvale, we've identified everyone responsible for your son's kidnapping. They're part of a gang called the Night Talons. From what we know, they are a group that consists mostly of Faunus and have been gaining influence in the slums. How would you like us to proceed?" At the mention of the group behind the attack, Nillia's expression hardened, and she rose to her feet.

"We want to speak with them," she said, her voice resolute. Her husband, Vance, nodded in agreement, his gaze just as firm.

"Right this way, then," the Team Leader replied, leading them toward the detained Faunus. As they walked away, a tense aura seemed to settle around Asher's parents—a shift Liv noticed immediately. Her smile faded, replaced by a serious expression, as a flicker of conflict crossed her eyes. After a pause, she turned to Asher, her voice more hesitant.

"What will they do to them?" Liv asked, her gaze fixed on Asher's parents as they walked away. Asher shrugged slightly, his eyes following them as well.

"I'm not sure." Liv frowned, studying his face as if doubting his answer.

"Really?"

"My parents are pretty restrained people, Liv. They might get annoyed, irritated, or even angry every now and again, but it's always controlled. With their status, they can't afford to be overly emotional—there are always eyes on them. I've only seen them truly break composure once, and that was when I first woke up from my coma. So, no, I don't actually know what they'll do." A quiet settled between them, both watching as Asher's parents approached Indigo's group, the air thick with unanswered questions.

After being cuffed and forced to their knees, Indigo and her group stayed silent under questioning. But the click of Nillia's heels and the measured stride of Vance's footsteps, distinct from the heavy boots around them, drew her attention. Indigo lifted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Recognition flashed across her face, and a smirk tugged at her lips before she began to laugh—a bitter, mocking sound.

"Oh. Oh, wow. I never thought I'd see the actual Frostvales in the flesh," she sneered.

"Come all the way down from your precious Atlas because your son got into a bit of trouble, huh? And here I thought Atlas types only remembered their kids by number." Nillia and Vance merely stared down at her, their expressions unchanging, like stone-carved statues even in front of her taunts. 

Indigo let out an exaggerated, impressed whistle.

"Well, I'll be damned. The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? You two are just like your son over there," she said, nodding toward Asher.

"Didn't flinch when I had a gun on him, not even a twitch." A mocking grin spread across her face as she shrugged, rattling the cuffs on her wrists.

"Anyway, my apologies. Normally, I'd bow and prostrate myself for individuals as distinguished as yourselves, but, as you can see..."

She lifted her bound wrists.

"I'm a little tied up." Her laughter echoed in the tense silence. Some of the Faunus around her watched in uneasy disbelief, wondering how she could laugh in the face of those stares. But she wasn't alone; her second-in-command, the one who had held the handgun, chuckled beside her.

It was as they laughed that Nillia was the first to speak.

"Was this planned, or a coincidence?" She asked.

The question caught Indigo off guard, her laughter tapering off as she met Nillia's unwavering gaze.

"What are you talking about?" Nillia's eyes narrowed slightly at her answer. 

"I'm asking if robbing my son was an accident or if someone sent you." Her words felt monotone, their complete lack of emotion unsettling, creating a chill that seemed to ripple through Indigo's group, a shiver passing down their spines.

Indigo hesitated, uncertainty flickering across her face before she smirked.

"No clue. Can't seem to remember for some reason."

That was when Vance spoke, his voice carrying a subtle warmth that was betrayed by the coldness of his gaze. The way he looked at Indigo and her group conveyed an almost predatory interest.

"You and your group should understand that, right now, the only value your lives hold to us is the information you carry. So, you can either tell us what we need to know, or-"

Before he could finish, the Faunus who'd held the handgun cut in, his voice defiant.

"Or what? You won't be merciful? Please, we're not idiots. Whether we talk or not, there's no way you'll let us go." His words echoed what the rest of the group understood but hadn't dared to say. Although they remained silent, they'd made their choice. They knew nothing good would come of cooperation—staying silent was the only power left to them.

Vance began to nod slowly, as if considering their reasoning, then crouched until he was at eye level with Indigo. His tone grew even more friendly.

"You're right. You put our son in danger, and for that, we can't simply let you walk away. But… what exactly we plan to do with you, where we plan to send you—that's still up for debate, isn't it?" His gaze locked onto hers, unblinking.

"Did you know," he continued, "there are quite a few different kinds of prisons? Some are... surprisingly comfortable, funded by Atlas's high society. Private facilities designed so that even when their friends stumble into a scandal, they can still serve their time in relative luxury."

He let the words settle, then shot a glance to Nillia, who took over without missing a beat.

"And then there are other prisons," Nillia added coolly, "that are designed to be... well, let's just call them hellholes. It's astonishing what certain facilities can get away with, especially when the majority of their inmates are Faunus, whose rights are already… flexible."

The thinly veiled threat hung in the air, and Indigo felt her throat tighten as she glanced between the two of them, her confidence wavering. She had assumed that prison was inevitable, so why give them the satisfaction of cooperation?

But this—this wasn't something she expected. Asher's parents were making it clear that whether they survived prison or how much they suffered, was in their hands. Even the Glacier Guard soldiers standing nearby couldn't help but stiffen, a few quietly drawing in sharp breaths.

Vance's gaze settled on her again, his voice almost sympathetic.

"You seem like someone who thinks with her emotions. But it also seems like you care about your friends. So let me ask you something. Even if you're willing to suffer, do you really want to drag them down with you?" He questioned, his focus drifting to her group.

"In the end, it's up to you. Which path would you rather go down?"