Katabasis

Alice Law, a graduate student in the Department of Analytic Magick at Cambridge, embarks on a perilous journey to the Eight Courts of Hell to rescue her advisor, Professor Jacob Grimes, whose soul is trapped there after a catastrophic lab accident. Driven by a sense of moral obligation and the need to secure her academic future, Alice enlists the help of Peter Murdoch, a fellow student, and they navigate the treacherous and surreal landscapes of Hell, encountering Shades, bone-things, and other supernatural entities. Their journey is fraught with personal and ethical challenges, as Alice and Peter confront the dark history of their mentor, their own ambitions, and the profound psychological toll of their magickal practices.

As they delve deeper into Hell, Alice and Peter's relationship becomes increasingly strained, marked by revelations of past traumas, betrayals, and a shared history of manipulation by Professor Grimes. Alice's determination to save Grimes is tested when she discovers Peter's plan to trade her soul for Grimes's, leading to a series of desperate and morally ambiguous decisions. Despite the dangers, Alice's resilience and ingenuity help them overcome formidable obstacles, including the Kripkes, a pair of magicians conducting dark experiments, and the Erinyes, who confront Alice with the weight of her actions.

In the final act, Alice and Peter are reunited and face the Lord of the Underworld, King Yama, who grants them a boon in exchange for a True Contradiction. Alice uses this opportunity to free Professor Grimes but ultimately decides to disintegrate him, realizing the destructive nature of his influence. King Yama agrees to return half of their lost years, a compromise that allows Alice and Peter to return to the living world, forever changed by their harrowing journey.