Harry has been stuck on the island a year thanks to the parasite in his head. His condition has been steadily deteriorating. Mab arrives with a magical solution all it will cost Harry is working with Nicodemus.
Nicodemus is assembling a group of super villains and thugs to steal the holy grail from the underworld Hades domain. Enter Harry Dresden and Murphy. Muscle. Hades vault has three separate gates that they will have to get through.
Harry as winter night will help get them through the gate of ice. Hannah Asher a warlock will provide the solution to the gate of fire. Nicodemus will open the gate of blood. also on the team is Binder to provide goons, Goodman Gray a shapeshifter to help with infiltration and a Genoskwa for muscle. Anna Valmont returns as the safe cracker.
Harry gets hurt while doing recon and while Butters is patching his arm he plants a magical bug. Butters has grown mistrustful of Harry since his ghost appeared and his Darkside associations with Mab. Butters learns that Harry is working for the bad guys and tries to escape. An awesome chase ensues where Butters has been applying spell craft to mundane items to become a super hero.
To save Butters life Harry tries to catch him first. It’s tough with butters magical skateboard going 30 miles an hour, Binders goons and a Genoskwa to fool. Thankfully Bob Who is powering Butters magic realizes what’s going on. While inhabiting a giant lion statue Bob reeks some havoc. Harry catches Butters outside Michael’s house and has to fight Nicodemus for his life. Murphy has been concealing one of the swords on her the entire time and saves the day. Almost. She beats Nicodemus but he orders that Harry be killed. Using the sword improperly leads to its destruction. Micheal leaves his house cane in hand and bargains for their lives. The trade will be made their lives for his to freely walk out of the gate and turn aside his angelic protection.
Once everyone is safe we get to see Yuriel urge Michael to turn aside from this action. because Michael will choose of his own free will to go no divine protection or aid can be provided. Yuriel is clever however and exerts his own free will to loan Michael his grace. Healing his body and providing him his own sword. Not looking to fight and angelic powered night of the cross Nicodemus leaves.
Moving forward Michael replaces Murphy on team bad guy. The next day they prepare to break into gentleman John Marcone’s vault to reach the corresponding point in the never never.
The team reaches the vault and makes it past the gates. Nicodemus sacrifices his own daughter to make it past the gate of blood. Harry finds the grail and several other handy artifacts. He has a face to face with Hades who clues him in that this was Mabs plan all along.
Nicodemus double crosses Harry to get the grail and battles Michael. Harry has to contend with hellfire from Asher who is in possession of Lashels coin. Goodman Gray the Lawful Evil appears to top the scales.
Here is where we get a great Oceans 11 moment taking us back to the beginning when Harry hires Gray to go along with Nicodemus plan. Gray takes the Genoskwa and an incredible fight ensues.
Good guys win but are broken and battered. They attempt to abandon Nicodemus to his fate in the underworld but he slips by and head to Michaels house to burn it to the ground. Harry does all he can and makes it in time to warn Charity and plan a defense.
The house is stormed and all seems lost. Harry is down and there is no one left. Waldo Butters dawns Harry’s duster and tries to hold them off by himself. Seeing this incredible act of faith, Harry throws the broken hilt of one of the swords to Butters. It’s fantom blade explodes in light causing all denarians to flee and saving the day.
Molly arrives to help heal Harry of the parasite which is actually a spirit of intellect. Harry and Lash’s child of sorts. She is fitting into her new role nicely but also changing...
“And he kicked the gate if it’s hinges”