Chapter 23 - Stolen Remains
The morning sun streamed through the hotel window, casting a warm glow over the neatly arranged room. Quinn blinked awake, feeling surprisingly well-rested after last night's battle. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, and the faint sound of running water told him that Emily was already awake and preparing for the day.
He sat up, stretching his arms with a yawn. Today was the day they would move into their new house. He was looking forward to it—it would be nice to finally have a place they could call home instead of constantly staying in hotels.
As Quinn reached for his phone, he noticed two unread messages.
The first message was from his best friend, Jake.
Damien: Hey Quinn, guess what? I'm coming back to the city! And when I do, you'll be in for a surprise.
Quinn raised an eyebrow. Damien had only been gone for a week or two—why was he returning so soon?
He quickly typed back a response.
Quinn: You've only been gone for a week or two. Why are you coming back so soon? But anyways, when you get here, you're in for a surprise too.
A small smirk played on his lips. So much had changed in just two weeks. When Jake left, Quinn was just an ordinary guy—now, he was an Awakened hunter, fighting against Hallows.
As soon as he sent the message, he glanced at the second notification. This one was from Cedric.
Quinn's relaxed demeanor instantly vanished as he read the text.
Cedric: Quinn… the body of the Hallow you killed last night has been stolen.
"WHAT?!" Quinn practically shouted, startling Emily from the bathroom.
His mind raced. How is that even possible? AGC had secured the body after the battle—there was no way a random thief could have taken it.
Quinn didn't waste any time. He jumped out of bed, grabbing his clothes as he rushed toward the bathroom.
Emily emerged, dressed and ready, a towel wrapped around her damp hair. She gave him a confused look. "What's wrong? You seem like you're in a hurry."
Quinn didn't stop moving. "Because I am in a hurry. Something important came up."
Emily frowned but didn't press further.
As soon as Quinn finished his quick shower, he stepped out, grabbed his belongings, and headed out of the hotel with Emily.
They walked toward the street where their transport was supposed to arrive, but Quinn had no patience for waiting. Instead, he scooped Emily into his arms.
"Hold on tight."
Before she could protest, he launched into the air.
Emily yelped, gripping his shoulders tightly. "You really need to warn me before doing that!"
Quinn ignored her complaints, his mind solely focused on the stolen Hallow.
"Who would take it? And why?"
A few minutes later, Quinn and Emily landed in front of their new home. It was a modern two-story house, sleek and stylish, standing in a quiet part of the city. AGC had already moved their belongings inside, making the transition seamless.
Quinn wasted no time. He set Emily down and quickly changed into fresh clothes before launching himself back into the air—heading straight for AGC Headquarters.
As he soared over the city skyline, only one thought ran through his mind:
"Who stole the body, how the hell did they steal the body, and why the hell did they steal the body?"
Quinn landed in front of the AGC Headquarters, his boots slamming against the pavement with urgency. The towering black-and-blue building stood like a fortress, its glowing insignia flickering above the entrance. He didn't waste time admiring the view—he stormed inside.
The receptionists barely had time to greet him before he rushed past, heading straight to the security wing where Cedric was waiting. The halls were buzzing with activity, but Quinn ignored everything else as he burst into the monitoring room.
Cedric stood near a large holographic screen, his expression tense. When he saw Quinn, he let out a breath of relief.
"Finally, you're here," Cedric said. "We have a serious problem."
Quinn crossed his arms. "You think? A Hallow's body doesn't just walk out of containment on its own."
Cedric sighed. "That's the thing… it might have."
Quinn's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Cedric gestured toward the security footage playing on the holographic display. The recording showed the storage chamber where the Hallow's corpse was kept—a reinforced room designed specifically for containing dangerous entities. The body had been placed on a steel examination table, covered in dark, vein-like patterns from the residual Hallow energy.
Everything looked normal at first.
Then, at exactly 3:00 AM, the lights flickered, and the cameras glitched out for 10 seconds. When they came back online, the body was gone—vanished without a trace.
No alarms. No intrusions. No signs of anyone coming in or out.
Quinn's fists clenched. "That's impossible."
Cedric ran a hand through his hair. "I know. But the weirdest part? The energy sensors in the room spiked just before the blackout. It's like… something activated."
Quinn stared at the screen, his mind racing. Did the Hallow revive itself?
"Hallows don't just get up and leave after they've been killed," he muttered.
"Unless," Cedric hesitated, then looked at Quinn seriously, "it wasn't completely dead."
A cold realization settled over Quinn. He had been sure he delivered the final blow, but what if…?
"What if someone took it?" Quinn asked. "There had to be a trace of movement."
Cedric shook his head. "We checked everything. No fingerprints, no forced entry, nothing. The room was locked from the inside."
Quinn exhaled sharply. "Then that means there's only one possibility."
Cedric nodded grimly. "It either escaped on its own or someone powerful enough to bypass all security took it."
Quinn clenched his jaw. This was bad.
If a Hallow could revive itself or be resurrected, then they were dealing with something far more dangerous than a simple monster.
And worse—someone out there might be controlling it.
**********
The air in the dimly lit chamber was thick with Hallow energy, an eerie mist swirling around the cold metallic floor. The room was unlike any human facility—dark, vast, and filled with unnatural vibrations of power. Strange symbols pulsed faintly on the walls, casting an ominous glow.
At the center of the room lay Nefaria's body—her pale, lifeless form sprawled across a slab of black stone. Her long, silver hair was tangled, and her once-fearsome eyes remained shut. A massive hole gaped in her stomach, a wound that should have ensured her death.
Standing over her were two figures.
The first was Veyron, his sharp features contorted in frustration. His dark, tattered coat swayed as he examined Nefaria's unmoving body. The wound in his side, a remnant of his battle with Quinn, had almost fully healed, yet the humiliation of his retreat lingered.
The second figure, however, was vastly different.
A tall Hallow in a sleek black suit, standing with an air of refined authority. His smooth, porcelain-like skin contrasted with the abyssal darkness of his eyes. His hands were clasped behind his back as he observed Nefaria's corpse with the fascination of a scientist examining a rare specimen.
Veyron scoffed, breaking the silence.
"You actually stole Nefaria's body," he muttered, tilting his head. "But how the hell are you going to save her?"
He gestured at the gaping wound in her stomach.
The suited Hallow smirked, his expression unreadable.
"I want to run some experiments," he said coolly. "Who knows? I might bring her back."
Veyron's eyes narrowed. "Experiments? You think she can still be revived?"
The suited Hallow chuckled, the sound eerily smooth. "I have revived many before. Death is… a flexible concept when you know how to bend it."
He turned his gaze toward Veyron.
"But let's set that aside for now. The real issue is you."
Veyron stiffened as the suited Hallow took a step forward.
"I sent you to that city with Nyx," he continued, his voice laced with amusement. "Yet this kid—Quinn—was able to force you to retreat and left you with a wound that would have killed you."
Veyron clenched his fists but remained silent. He hated admitting it, but the Hallow in front of him wasn't wrong.
The suited Hallow smirked, satisfied with Veyron's lack of protest. "Thanks to me, you didn't die," he added, a hint of pride in his tone.
Veyron gritted his teeth. "…I won't fail next time."
"Oh, you won't have a choice," the suited Hallow replied. He turned back toward Nefaria, running a hand over the black stone slab.
"I will continue to send more Hallows to that city," he said. "And you will go back very soon."
He let the words sink in before adding, "But before you do… you need to get stronger."
Veyron looked up, intrigued.
"Absorb the cores of weaker Hallows. Feast on more humans. Evolve."
The suited Hallow finally turned away from Nefaria and began walking toward the exit, his shoes clicking against the cold floor.
"We cannot leave a potential threat like Quinn unchecked," he said, his voice echoing in the vast chamber.
Then, without another word, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Veyron alone with the corpse of Nefaria.
Veyron exhaled sharply, his fingers twitching with anticipation.
"Quinn…" he muttered under his breath.
His hunger surged. His rage burned.
The next time they met—he would kill him.