Third Person POV
**The Fateful Night - XX Month, 2nd**
**10:23 PM**
The Descartes Estate lay quiet under the cover of darkness, its sprawling grounds seemingly peaceful in the late evening hour. But within one particular room on the manor's upper floors, preparations for something decidedly unpeaceful were underway.
Riyan stood in the center of his chambers, moving with the methodical precision of someone who'd planned every detail down to the second. His scarlet eyes held an intensity that would have alarmed anyone who saw them—not the wild fervor of madness, but the cold calculation of someone about to do something extremely dangerous and refusing to acknowledge the fear that should accompany such recognition.
The objective was crystal clear: infiltrate Hotel BlackMoon, intercept eleven traitors before they could execute their betrayal of Sirus, and do it all without getting killed in the process. The targets were etched in his memory from the novel—ten operatives and their leader, a man whose betrayal would set off a chain of events that originally led to dozens of innocent deaths.
*Not this time,* Riyan thought as he checked his equipment one final time. *This time, the script gets rewritten.*
But first, he needed to escape the estate without alerting his mother.
Riya Descartes was many things—SS+ rank powerhouse, Fire Empress, ruthless protector of her family. She was also, as Riyan had come to understand through the original's memories, a woman with an almost pathological devotion to her children's safety. If she caught even a hint that he planned to walk into danger, she'd lock him in his room with enough protective enchantments to withstand a siege.
Which meant stealth wasn't just preferable—it was absolutely essential.
Fortunately, Riyan possessed exactly the tool needed for such an escape: his SS+ rank Darkness affinity.
The estate's security was formidable during daylight—magical wards, physical guards, surveillance systems both technological and mystical. But all of it relied on being able to detect an intruder's presence. And in the deep shadows of night, with his affinity fully engaged, Riyan could become effectively invisible to everything except the most sophisticated detection magic.
*And Mother's personal wards are keyed to recognize family members,* he thought with dark satisfaction. *She'd never imagine one of her children would use that blind spot to sneak out for vigilante justice.*
At exactly 10:23 PM, Riyan activated his affinity.
Darkness rose from the floor like living smoke, wrapping around his body in tendrils that seemed almost affectionate. His form blurred, edges becoming indistinct, solid matter transforming into shadow given temporary substance. Within seconds, he'd become a patch of deeper darkness in a room full of shadows—invisible to casual observation, nearly undetectable even to focused scrutiny.
He moved through his window with the fluid grace of smoke slipping through cracks, dropping three stories to the grounds below without making a sound. The impact that should have shattered bones was absorbed by darkness that cushioned and dispersed force like water accepting a stone.
The estate's perimeter wards washed over him, registered a Descartes family member, and let him pass without triggering any alarms.
*Too easy,* some part of him whispered. *This is going too smoothly.*
He ignored that thought and disappeared into the night.
---
**11:47 PM - Hotel BlackMoon**
On the outskirts of Qara City, where urban development gave way to carefully maintained luxury, Hotel BlackMoon rose like a monolith of modern excess. Twenty-four stories of black glass and steel that seemed to drink in light rather than reflect it, the building was an architectural statement that screamed wealth and exclusivity in equal measure.
The hotel catered exclusively to baseline humans—no awakened individuals allowed past the lobby. It was marketed as a sanctuary where the non-powered elite could relax without worrying about accidentally offending someone who could level a building with a thought. In reality, it was the perfect venue for exactly the kind of corrupt dealings that would take place tonight.
Beneath the hotel's gleaming exterior, accessible only through maintenance tunnels that didn't appear on any public blueprints, lay the Underground Basement. This subterranean maze of tunnels, chambers, and machinery spaces stretched beneath the entire building—a forgotten world of concrete and pipes that most guests never knew existed.
The air down here was thick with the smell of damp earth and machine oil, heavy enough to taste. Fluorescent lights flickered at irregular intervals, casting unsteady shadows that made navigation treacherous for anyone unfamiliar with the layout. The walls, painted institutional gray decades ago and never updated, seemed to absorb sound, creating an unnatural quiet broken only by the occasional hiss of steam or groan of aging pipes.
In one particularly dark corner where even the failing lights couldn't quite reach, a patch of shadow that was somehow *more* than the surrounding darkness began to shift.
It rose from the concrete floor like smoke given form, coalescing and solidifying in a process that would have been fascinating to observe if anyone had been present to witness it. The shadow grew taller, taking on vaguely humanoid proportions, its edges slowly resolving from amorphous darkness into recognizable features.
Within seconds, Riyan stood where there had been only shadow, his transformation complete. His clothes were entirely black—practical combat gear rather than his usual expensive attire. A mask covered the lower half of his face, and his distinctive scarlet eyes were currently hidden behind contact lenses that made them appear mundane brown.
*Phase one complete,* he thought, assessing his surroundings with tactical precision. *Now comes the actually difficult part.*
Hotel BlackMoon had twenty-four floors above ground, plus this basement level. According to the novel, the eleven traitors would position themselves strategically throughout the building before making their move—some at entry points to control access, others on upper floors to manage hostages, the leader likely on one of the middle floors coordinating everything.
Finding them before they acted would require methodical searching. Finding them *without* alerting hotel security or the targets themselves would require considerably more finesse.
*Start with the ground floor,* Riyan decided. *Main entrance, lobby, and the service corridors adjacent to both. That's where they'll have positioned their first wave—probably four or five operatives to lock down all exits once the operation begins.*
He moved through the basement tunnels with the confidence of someone who'd memorized detailed floor plans. The original Riyan's childhood boredom during his mother's business meetings had inadvertently provided reconnaissance that was proving invaluable now.
The tunnels connected to service corridors that ran parallel to the hotel's public spaces, allowing maintenance staff to move through the building without disturbing guests. They also provided perfect routes for someone who needed to move unseen.
Riyan found a service elevator that would take him up to the ground floor. He was about to step inside when he felt it—a subtle shift in the air pressure, the faint whisper of displaced atmosphere that indicated movement nearby.
He melted back into shadows, becoming invisible just as voices echoed down the corridor.
"—sure this is going to work?" The first voice was male, young, carrying an edge of nervousness that suggested this wasn't someone accustomed to betrayal.
"The plan's solid." This voice was older, more confident. "Sia thinks we're eliminating targets. By the time she realizes we've taken hostages instead, we'll have the weapons and be halfway to the rendezvous with Nexus."
Riyan's blood went cold at the casual mention of Nexus. Hearing it confirmed—that these traitors were working with the organization that had kidnapped him and Raven—transformed this from an abstract mission into something deeply personal.
"What if she figures it out before then?" The nervous one again. "Sia's not stupid. If she suspects—"
"She won't." The confident voice had taken on a harder edge. "We've covered our tracks. And even if she does figure it out, what's she going to do? She's one hunter against our entire team, and we'll have hostages as shields. Now stop second-guessing and get to your position. Main entrance, remember? No one gets in or out once we make our move."
"Right. Main entrance. Got it."
Footsteps receded in opposite directions. Riyan waited until he was certain both men were gone before emerging from shadow.
*Main entrance,* he thought grimly. *So I was right about the positioning. That makes at least two confirmed traitors on the ground floor.*
He continued toward the service elevator, mind already working through tactical options. His original plan had been to observe and gather evidence before intervening. But hearing them mention Nexus so casually had changed something fundamental in his approach.
*This isn't just about making an impression on Sia anymore,* he realized. *This is about making sure Nexus doesn't get weapons that could be used for their experiments. That could be used to hurt people the way they hurt Raven and me.*
The elevator rose silently, carrying him from the basement's shadows into the carefully maintained luxury of the ground floor service corridors. Through ventilation grates, he could hear the ambient sounds of the hotel—guests talking, elevator bells chiming, the soft music that played in all public spaces.
Normal. Peaceful. Completely unaware of the violence about to unfold.
Riyan moved through the service corridor toward where it connected to the main lobby, every sense heightened, Reader's Eye ability active and analyzing potential threats.
The game had begun.
And unlike the novel's original timeline, this time there would be no hostages, no successful betrayal, and no weapons delivered to Nexus.
There would only be eleven traitors learning why it was a terrible idea to cross the Asura Prince.
---
**Author's Note:**
This chapter establishes Riyan's infiltration and confirms the traitors' connection to Nexus, raising the personal stakes. The hotel layout and his strategic thinking are being established for the action sequences to come.
**Reader Discussion:**
- How should Riyan handle the traitors—eliminate them quietly or wait for more evidence?
- What do you think Sia's reaction will be when she learns about the betrayal?
- Should Riyan reveal his identity to Sia or maintain anonymity?
**Next Chapter Preview:** "Hotel Hijack [Part 3]" - The traitors make their move, and Riyan's counter-operation begins. First blood will be drawn.
**Engagement Goals:**
- 130 Power Stones = Bonus chapter from Sia's perspective
- 30 Golden Tickets = Side story about Sirus's founding
- 40 Reviews = Detailed tactical breakdown of the hotel
Thanks for reading! Power stones and comments appreciated!
*- Your Author*