Chapter Eighty-Six

Summary

• The city is quieting down but the voids in the Gates remain open, and Hunt is apprehensive about what sort of horrors may come through during the night.
• Bryce is still outside and Hunt knows that without the Drop, if she makes a mistake or misstep, she could die with no chance of healing or regeneration.
• Bryce is making her way towards the Heart Gate where the flow of demons had previously halted. Hunt and others watch her pause near the Gate and sit down in a nearby shelter, sword in hand.
• Hunt recognizes this as a soldier's pause, an exhaustion respite before their final battle.
• Bryce tries to use her phone, which rouses a faint ringing in the conference room. The call is coming to Hunt's phone, currently held by Sandriel.
• Ruhn encourages Sandriel to hand the phone to Hunt. Once handed over, Hunt answers the call and tries to convince Bryce to move to a safer location.
• Instead, Bryce asks Hunt to relay personalised messages to her loved ones as a sort of goodbye, causing distress among all listeners.
• Bryce ends the call, leaves her sword and phone in the shelter alcove, and runs towards the Gate, leaving Hunt and the others in shock and fear.