Spirit Hunting Union

…The gate yawned wide open. Quinn got flung out right away. His body clobbering hard against the stony ground.

He winced in pain.

A shadow loomed over him almost immediately. And before he knew it, a hand lifted him off the ground.

Quinn met the icy stare of the fanged man from the Union. He would rather walk back to the reception with a broken bone than ask a vampire for help.

But he had no choice when the man had already slung him over his own shoulder.

As the man quietly carried him down the hallway, Quinn stared at the gate. Which closed in a slow manner.

His chest ached.

'So, this is the last time I'm seeing him? What a reality.'

The gate shut with a resounding bang.

… In a few minutes, the vampire brought Quinn back to the reception. Then dropped him on an available couch. And before Quinn could even thank him, he was gone.

Quinn sighed. What a gesture that was.

Looking sideways, he saw the lady elf approaching him. With two cups in hand.

What's her deal?

She soon sat opposite him. Placing the cups of steamy coffee on the ceramic table.

Legs crossed, she leaned back a little.

Quinn stared through her soul. Was this how bad elves were at reading the room? Can't she see he wasn't in the mood for any chatter?

Still, the lady initiated one.

"How are you feeling now?"

Spirit Hunters and their hypocritical concerns; Quinn was sick of them. He smirked slightly.

"What do you think? Am I good or not?"

He saw the lady raise her brows.

Now, she should back off.

But she didn't.

Quinn clenched his jaw even more. He might end up walking out on her.

The lady said,

"You're upset. That's all I can see."

Quinn tilted his head.

"And?" He didn't want to roll his eyes.

The elf took a deep breath before saying,

"If you are, I won't waste time talking either." She rose from her couch, even so cheap as to take the coffee with her.

That didn't bother Quinn a bit. He turned his head down, elbows planted on his thighs.

Right when he had exceeded his limit in Mr Miller's memory, he uncovered something crucial. Maybe even the most important memory so far.

But he wasn't able to read everything clearly. The stupid Curse kicked him out!

That got Quinn thinking - could this elf know something?

Quinn glanced at her. And asked,

"Why would a Spirit latch onto a human?"

The receptionist stopped in her stride. Just a few metres back to her table. She turned and inquired gently,

"What did you see in there? If it's related to your question…"

"Yes, it is." Quinn rose from his seat with slight excitement.

The lady nodded.

"What was it? That you saw."

Quinn's expression tightened. He pondered the few things he saw at the last minute.

"The host had a problem completing a scientific project. Then, all of a sudden…"

He stared sideways.

When Mr Miller had turned to him and asked…

"... who are you?"

… Quinn had for a second stiffened in place. Thinking his cover had been blown. A thought had told him maybe the gate had locked up on him. His heart had raced.

But that notion changed when he saw the fear in the man's eyes. And a surreal, cold presence behind him.

In that split second, Quinn glanced backwards. What he saw next was dark fumes standing like a full human, with red eyes.

… Quinn fixed a more intense stare on the lady,

"All of a sudden, the Spirit appeared. I swear I saw it!" His tone was strong, firm.

The receptionist didn't argue that he did not. She just paced closer to the table and placed the cups there. Then she responded,

"And your question is why that same Spirit latched onto the scientist host? That's no complex relationship at all. The host simply accepted the creature into his body so as to help him complete the project."

Quinn chuckled bitterly, spreading his arms to both sides,

"Does that even make any sense? A Spirit solves a problem an experienced scientist can't? That's so absurd!"

The lady held a close stare at him for a few seconds. She then shook her head.

"How long has this era lasted? Just two thousand and twenty-four years. Or more, following the Holocene calendar. But what about the era of supercreatures? Millions of years. Most have died and vanished. And a few remaining to date are what you Hunters are out for. They have survived many periods. So, they're knowledgeable in everything. When I say everything, EVERYTHING. One Spirit equates to thousands of great scientists."

Quinn's breathing sharpened up.

"How many humans have they killed then?! Uncountable?"

The receptionist nodded.

"Yeah, uncountable. They find humans with a huge desperation for success. And promise to help. But it only takes a few months before they take full control over the body. Can you guess what happens next? A vast rampage."

Quinn hiccuped.

"No one is innocent to die anymore. No child is too young for the grave. Even pregnant women aren't free. But their first targets right after dominating the body? Everyone whom the host used to adore."

Quinn gasped. His corneas reddened. His lips parted.

He was able to defend himself with his powers. But what about Mr Miller's family? Could the Spirit have already gone for them?

He groaned,

"God damn it!"

"Yeah, it sucks. But the Spirits can't deal with the thoughts. They consider them "disturbing"."

"Damned creatures."

… For the next few seconds, the receptionist occupied herself with making records in the ledger. Quinn just sat there, head turned down.

Then at that moment, he heard the lady say,

"Get over it already. It never gets easy in the field. Here…"

Quinn looked at her. She was extending a piece of paper his way.

"The office is by the corner to your right, on the second floor. Take this there to cash in your wage."

Quinn blinked.

"Wage?"

After returning from the office she mentioned, Quinn couldn't help but stare at his phone's screen. And the box in his hand.

His account balance was fucking smiling with a whopping ten thousand dollars. And… and inside the box were even three gold bars.

Hunters get paid for killing Spirits? Incredible.

At least, that's what the cashier told him.

Quinn wasn't expecting this at all.

When he was about to leave, the lady elf told him her name.

Selene.

What a name. Sounds too ancient to be wrong.

Besides, she was one paranormal being.

The car was already waiting when he got outside. Quinn slipped in. To meet the non-ending chatter from the old man. Even he was bad at reading the room.

Or maybe he could. And intentionally wanted to upset Quinn even more.

It was Silas after all.

Geez.

Soon, they returned home.

But what Quinn saw inside left him agape.