It didn't take Asher long to realize he was in a hospital room. The layout, the sterile white walls, and the quiet hum of medical equipment—it was almost identical to the room he'd woken up in after breaking free from his coma.
His body felt sluggish, weighed down by exhaustion and medication. Even shifting his gaze took effort. He was hooked up to the bed, a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology and comfort. Every system—vital monitors, IV regulators—was integrated directly into the frame, minimizing clutter while maximizing efficiency.
If a glass covering had been placed over him, the setup might have looked more like a controlled test chamber than a recovery bed. A testament to Atlas's medical advancements, far beyond anything the rest of the world could offer.
Still, no level of care could erase the fact that he'd been seriously injured.
The dull throb that coursed through his body—muted, no doubt, by heavy painkillers—told him as much. He glanced down, assessing the damage. His upper body seemed intact for the most part, aside from the brace wrapped around his neck. His lower half, however, was another story. A full-leg cast covered both legs, and his chest was completely wrapped.
Well, I survived. A little more banged up than I expected, but I suppose that's on me for underestimating what plummeting thousands of meters out of the sky would do to a human body.
Shifting his head, he turned toward the window. It was slightly open, letting in a faint breeze. Beyond it, the towering skyline of Atlas stretched into the distance, its pristine structures reflecting the morning light.
But how long had he been out? There was no calendar in sight, nothing to indicate the date. He had protocols in place—failsafe programs that would come online if his systems remained untouched for too long. Liv had instructions to manage Indigo and her group's training in his absence.
Still, there was a limit to how long he could afford to be out of commission.
Then, something caught his eye. The room itself was spacious but sparsely furnished, with chairs lined against the far wall near the closed door. Everything—from the polished white floors to the sleek equipment—looked pristine, untouched. But in the corner, stacked neatly, were gift baskets and flower arrangements, some with attached cards.
He scanned the names. Some were unfamiliar—likely associates of his parents sending well-wishes out of obligation. But others, he recognized. Names of people who had been held hostage aboard the airship.
I guess that means Weiss managed to get the airship back to Atlas and rescued everyone. That's good. A shame I missed the news story though.
At the thought of her name, his gaze shifted to the table beside his bed. Sitting in a vase was a bouquet of white lilies. They weren't common in Atlas, despite being able to grow in colder temperatures. But more than that—they were Weiss's favorite flowers.
His eyes trailed to the base of the vase, where a small card rested, bearing her name.
He hesitated, staring at it for a moment before looking away. Leaning back into the pillow beneath his head, he inhaled quietly.
He didn't fear death. That, like so many other things, had left him a long time ago. But now that he was awake, a question lingered at the back of his mind.
He had died countless times in that coma, shifting between lives—trapped in either the depths of his own imagination or an alternate reality altogether.
If I die again… will I just wake up in another body like before? Or will that be it?
The thought settled in his mind, lingering for only a minute or two before the door to his hospital room opened. A soft, light, and unbothered humming filled the space.
He turned his head slightly. A nurse had entered, closing the door behind her as she made her way toward his bedside. She wasn't paying attention at first, busy with whatever routine she had planned, but the moment she was only a few steps away, she stopped.
She froze in place, staring at him for a long second before suddenly moving into action. Rushing forward, she checked the monitors built into his bed, her gaze flicking rapidly between his vitals—heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels.
"You- You shouldn't be awake yet. You can't be…" Her voice carried genuine shock as she glanced between the readings and his face, meeting open eyes that were unmistakably aware.
Asher's throat felt dry, his voice rough when he finally spoke.
"Is this Frosthaven Medical Center?" That only startled her more. But after a second, she shook herself out of it, snapping back to reality.
"Please, don't speak if it hurts or if it's too difficult. But yes, this is Frosthaven. Just stay put while I get the doctor." With that, the nurse hurried out of the room.
So that's why it looks the same… it is the same hospital. The same place I woke up in after my coma.
It wasn't long before the nurse returned, this time accompanied by a doctor. The moment Asher saw him, recognition clicked.
"Doctor Raye," he greeted. The doctor, mid-step, froze. His gaze locked onto Asher, eyes widening slightly before he exhaled, shaking his head.
"You really are awake…" Raye muttered, then let out a heavy sigh, striding over with a clipboard in hand.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. If a miracle could wake you from a coma like the one you were in, then I guess a fall from an airship wouldn't do much either." Asher didn't respond, though a small, knowing smile formed at the comment. It wasn't a miracle that had pulled him out of his coma, and he doubted one was responsible for his recovery now.
The Nexus Space. It was something that existed within his mind, something that made his very thoughts function differently. If there was any explanation for his mental resilience besides what he's experienced, it lay there.
"Alright, first things first," Doctor Raye said, flipping through his notes.
"Asher, can you tell me the last thing you remember?" Asher's gaze drifted to the ceiling as he thought. The stark white above him triggered flashes of memory—cold, endless snow swallowing him as he plummeted, the impact, the figure of the White Fang Commander below him.
"I was falling… slammed into the snow alongside someone else," he answered.
Doctor Raye gave a small nod.
"Alright. And do you know where you are and why you're here?" He continued through a series of cognitive and neurological assessments, ensuring Asher was fully aware of his surroundings.
Once satisfied, he moved on.
"Are you in any pain right now? Where does it hurt the most?" Asher considered the question. The ache was there—constant, dull, spread across every inch of him. But it wasn't unbearable, not to him.
"There's a dull pain all over, but no single area hurts more than the rest. It's… manageable." Doctor Raye hesitated at that. Something about Asher's tone, the way he brushed it off so easily, made him pause.
The pain's manageable? That couldn't be right. Not in his condition.
Doctor Raye hadn't seen Asher's body when they first brought him into the ICU, but he had read the reports. He knew how bad the injuries were. Was it nerve damage? Or was his body still in a state of shock? But the scans hadn't shown anything that would prevent him from feeling pain. Could it be the result of brain damage?
Reaching out, Raye tapped a spot on Asher's body that was out of his line of sight.
"Can you feel this?"
"Yes," Asher replied.
"You're tapping my thumb." The doctor hummed in thought, his frown deepening.
"Hmm… Alright. We'll need to run some tests, but we don't want to overdo it since you just woke up. If you have any questions or requests, now's the time to bring them up."
"Well, first off, how bad are my injuries?" Asher asked directly.
Doctor Raye inhaled sharply, flipping through the pages on his clipboard before stopping on a report.
"They where pretty bad, still are," he admitted.
"You fell from an airship and hit the ground at terminal velocity, Asher. Your injuries were severe. Both legs shattered on impact—multiple fractures in the tibia, fibula, and femur, both sides. It was a miracle your arms didn't break, but your ribs… let's just say you got lucky none of them punctured a lung."
Asher listened in silence, absorbing the information while, in the back of his mind, the Nexus Space helped him construct a detailed model of his skeleton, mapping the extent of the damage.
"You also sustained mild skull fractures and internal bruising. We ran scans for organ damage, but aside from some bleeding that healed on its own, nothing critical showed up, which is honestly surprising. Frankly, you shouldn't even be awake right now, let alone talking to me like this." Raye exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his head before continuing.
"Anyway, we'll notify your parents. They've been asking for updates practically every day when they can't visit. I'm sure they'll be relieved to hear you're awake." He gave Asher a measured look.
"Still, if anything feels off, you tell me immediately."
Turning to the nurse, he instructed, "Nurse Calli, keep an eye on him while I make the call."
She nodded.
"Of course, Doctor." As soon as Raye left, Nurse Calli turned her attention back to Asher, a warm smile forming as she spoke.
"Do you need me to adjust anything on your bed? Are you feeling too hot or cold?" Nurse Calli asked.
Asher gave a small shake of his head.
"No, I'm actually really comfortable. Though, I imagine I have you to thank for that." She blinked in surprise before offering another warm smile.
"Well, I can't take all the credit. Your body did most of the work—I just handled what it couldn't while you were unconscious. Still, it's amazing that you woke up so soon." Her words reminded him of something.
"Oh, actually, I've been meaning to ask—how long have I been out?"
Calli paused, pressing a hand to her chin as she thought.
"Well, you were brought in after the fall just over two weeks ago. Given how severe your injuries were, we expected you to be under for much longer, possibly even a month. Honestly, we weren't prepared for this."
"I see..." His voice trailed off, letting silence settle between them.
After a moment, she spoke again.
"Oh, and if you're curious—aside from your parents, you've had quite a few visitors while you were out. A lot of people must care about you." Asher narrowed his eyes slightly at that.
"I suppose, in one way or another, that's true..." She tilted her head slightly, as if considering what he meant, but before she could ask, the door to the room opened, and Doctor Raye stepped back in.
"Your parents were surprised, but they're on their way," he informed him.
Then, turning to Calli, he added, "Come on, let's give him some time to rest before they get here." Calli nodded and gave Asher a quick goodbye before following the doctor out.
Once again alone, Asher took Raye's advice and allowed himself to rest. Mentally, he was fine, but physically, his body was still battered.
He had studied human physiology in depth when designing the O.M.N.I. Frames. Even a small miscalculation in movement assistance could have resulted in severe injury—broken bones, torn muscles, or worse. He wouldn't claim to be on the same level as a fully trained doctor, but his knowledge was enough for self-evaluation.
With Atlas's regenerative treatments, I should be able to move again in about two to four weeks. The O.M.N.I. Frame might actually be able to speed up my physical therapy as well, shortening my recovery time once I'm allowed to go home. As for being totally unassisted… it'll probably take over a month.
Just thinking about those numbers made him click his tongue.
"That's too slow... I need to find a way to speed things up." With that thought lingering in his mind, Asher closed his eyes and simply lay there. The minutes stretched on—half an hour passing in relative silence—until the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway.
A second later, the door practically flew open.
"Asher!" His parents' voices reached him before their faces did.
Opening his eyes, he saw both his mother and father standing at the entrance, panting as if they had sprinted through the hospital to get to him faster. The instant they saw him awake, relief hit them like a tidal wave. Their tension melted, but the worry in their eyes remained as they rushed to his bedside.
"Oh, my poor Asher!" Nillia's voice trembled as she leaned over him, scanning him from head to toe with partially teary eyes.
"How are you feeling? Does your body hurt? Do you need me to call the doctors for anything?" She looked like she wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug but held herself back, mindful of his injuries.
"I'm fine, Mother," Asher reassured her, his voice calm and steady.
"Are you sure?" Vance asked, skepticism clear in his expression. No parent could look at their child wrapped in casts, hooked up to machines, and simply accept that they were 'fine'.
"I promise," Asher said, meeting his father's gaze with genuine conviction.
Vance exhaled a heavy sigh, rubbing a hand over his face as he muttered, "I really don't think I can do this anymore... Just seeing you in this hospital again—it reminded me of when you fell into that coma. I don't think either of us could've handled going through that again."
Nillia glanced at her husband before nodding in quiet agreement. The mere thought of losing him again—so soon after finally getting him back—had robbed them of sleep for the past two weeks. Unlike their usual composed, well-put-together appearances, they looked utterly exhausted.
Disheveled.
"I'm sorry," Asher said softly.
"I didn't think a simple date would turn into such a mess…" Nillia immediately shook her head.
"No, it's not your fault, Asher. It's because of those damn-" Her jaw clenched, and her fists tightened until her knuckles turned white. Vance placed a steadying hand on her shoulder before speaking.
"No one could have predicted the White Fang would attack like that. Especially not here, in Atlas of all places." He met Asher's gaze.
"Besides, what you did on that airship was brave. Both you and Weiss."
"But it was also extremely stupid!" Nillia cut in, her sharp tone making it clear that she hadn't forgiven the recklessness.
Vance sighed, nodding.
"She's right. You helped save everyone, but you didn't have to put yourself in danger like that, Asher. Especially not by doing something as insane as jumping out of an airship alongside your enemy." Asher blinked, caught off guard slightly. It seemed they knew exactly what had happened.
"You guys saw?" Asher asked.
Nillia sighed, her expression tense.
"After the airship returned to Atlas and the White Fang onboard were arrested, investigators managed to extract the security footage. You and Weiss, saving everyone… it's been playing nonstop on the news." Her tone didn't match the weight of those words. It wasn't pride or relief—it was frustration, worry, exhaustion.
Because what did it matter if the world saw her son as a hero, if it meant he ended up in a hospital for weeks?
What parent would want that for their child?
"Oh, and if you're wondering, Weiss is okay," Vance added.
"She was in the hospital for a couple of days, but they allowed her to recover at home after that. She's been visiting you almost every other day."
"That's good to hear," Asher said, sounding relieved.
From there, he and his parents spent the next hour talking. They filled him in on everything that had happened while he was unconscious—especially the things they knew he'd want to deal with himself, no matter how much they wished he'd just focus on recovery.
Eventually, though, Nurse Calli returned.
"I'm sorry, but visiting hours are almost up. We need to run some tests soon, and Asher needs his rest," she informed them gently.
Neither Nillia nor Vance looked happy about it, but they didn't argue. Begrudgingly, they began preparing to leave.
"Before we go, is there anything you want or need?" Nillia asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Well, since I'll be stuck here for a while, I was hoping you could send me some books," Asher replied.
"Books?" His mother perked up.
"Of course. What do you want?"
"Preferably ones on biology and human anatomy. Cellular healing, biomechanics, bioelectrics, nerve stimulation—things along those lines." It wasn't exactly light reading, especially for a fourteen-year-old recovering in a hospital. Most kids in his situation would ask for novels, games, or something to kill time.
But Asher's parents knew him well enough. Even if they weren't entirely sure what he was planning to do, they could piece together the clues.
"Hmm, alright," Vance said after a brief pause.
"We should be able to get those for you in a day or two."
"Thank you. Also, if you could, I'd like you to contact Liv and have her visit whenever she has time. There are some things I need her to manage while I'm stuck here," Asher added.
"Of course, dear." Nillia leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. Though both she and Vance still looked tired, their exhaustion seemed lighter now—eased, if only slightly, after talking with him.
"Alright," Vance said, his tone firm.
"You focus on recovering, and listen to Doctor Raye. He took care of you when you were in your coma, so I trust him. Don't push yourself." Asher nodded in understanding. So with that, his parents left, leaving him alone to await the tests being prepared elsewhere in the hospital.
It gave him time to think—to go over everything his parents had told him about the hijacking.
Although they managed to capture all the White Fang involved in the hijacking—the ones Weiss and I took care of—they didn't catch the people assisting them. Or the ones they were trying to deliver us to out in the tundra. In the end, all they did was cut off the tail, not the head.
Asher's gaze sharpened at the thought, a quiet hum escaping him.
I suppose I should thank them. I've been looking for a proper target to point my Insurgency toward once they're fully operational… and now I've got one. The first thing I'll have them do is wipe out the White Fang in Atlas. It'll be a good test—both of their capabilities and how willing they are to follow orders.