Below Hell

Metro 2033: Below Hell is the debut novel by Russian science fiction writer Andrei Grebenshchikov, written as part of the Metro 2033 universe. The fourteenth book in the series, Grebenshchikov's novel was released as part of his Voices of the Scorched Lands trilogy.

The novel is set in Yekaterinburg. The main characters - two teenagers, one resourceful, calculating, and intelligent, the other - a naive romantic, relying more on his feelings. Together, they will go on a mission, the essence of which is not clear up to the very last moment. Soon, they both will find out how a threat posed by a mysterious enemy leads towards a descent into Hell and what brings disclosure to the veil of sins of bygone days...

Leaving Botanicheskaya
The action takes place at the Bolshevik Botanicheskaya station. A young man of fifteen, Ivan Malgin, was returning from duty at the station, but the head of the depot, Vasilich, ordered the lad to work a little longer. But the station master Pavel Fedotov relieved the sentry of his work. Later, Fedotov Senior calls Malgin to him to tell him about the

Chkalovskaya incident that happened at night. Fedotov, having heard that relations with Chkalovskaya have escalated, decides to visit the station.

Malgin, however, meets his friend, Konstantin Fedotov, and goes with him to the surface in search of "Sarcophagus". On the way Ivan's fiancée, Sveta, joins them.

Surface
Upon reaching the surface, Sveta immediately begins to question Fedotov about the area. As they move away from the shopping center, they are ambushed by Volkolaks and a woodpecker circling in the sky. Zhivchik orders them to retreat Into a building near the gas station and burn it down. And so it happens. The sticks that the heroes dip into the fire become torches, with which they scare off the wolfhounds. Fedotov orders Ivan and Sveta to go to a safe place, warning that he can do it himself. However, Konstantin is still rescued by Ivan, who comes to the rescue.

Entering the woods, they spot a Ural truck, in the cab of which they find documents from Ignat Moskvich, the warrior of the First War.

Once out of the woods, they discover a giant crater, at the bottom of which they discover a passageway to the catacombs. As it turns out, there were people there. Their conversation and overhear the heroes. It turns out that the Chkalovs are asking the people from the Bunker to help them by taking over the Botanicheskaya. The heroes split up to find the documents of the operation. Kostya finds them and they are about to get out. But they are discovered by a blond man, Marcus Teuton, who kills Sveta. Ivan retaliates by shooting him and demolishing part of his face. Fedotov and Malgin get out of the Bunker, but do not return. Everything was already predetermined - the "Botanicheskaya" has fallen.

The Coup
At this time, Heinrich Stanislavovich Wolf - the head of the Bunker, having seized the Bolshevik station, begins to suspect a coup being prepared against him, in particular by Markus and Krasnov's men. When it becomes clear that Krasnov's men are following Wolf, Valentin Panteleyevich - a friend of Heinrich - brings him and his loyal men in the form of the young biologist Grinko and Lieutenant Nikitina, whose detachment was already waiting on the surface. Once on the surface, the general orders the squad to reach the northern stations to find other people to follow them.

Through the Shchorsa Belt
Meanwhile, Ivan and Kostya stay overnight in a high-rise apartment building in Yekaterinburg. While Malgin is on duty, he is hypnotized by a siren and led out onto a balcony, where Ivan finds himself blinded by the sun. Kostya, wearing Malgin's blindfold, leads him through the Shchorsa Belt. There Uncle Ike catches up with them and carries them to his abode. There, the Uncle Ike is unable to influence Ivan, but he is able to bend Kostya to his will. Ivan, on the other hand, stuns Ike and leads Kostya away with him in the direction of Bazhovskaya.

Mistress of the Copper Mountain
In one of the tunnels of Bazhovskaya, the heroes encounter Ouroboros, a semi-mythical serpent, but escape from him. Separated from Fedotov, Malgin enters Bazhovskaya. From there he is led out by Anna Petrovskaya, the Mistress of the Copper Mountain. She leads Malgin to her abode, where she explains that she is only a ghost and restores Ivan's sight. She then shows Malgin a kind of "movie" related to the events of the past: the participation of Anna, her fiancé Ignat and others in the First War, and the truth about Ivan's grandfather Alexander Malgin. Afterwards, explaining to Ivan that he must finish what Anna could not - sacrifice himself to save Metro from the radioactive danger that supposedly emanates from that very "Sarcophagus." But at the last moment, taking pity on Ivan, Anna leads him back to Zhivchik and disappears.

The Way of Marcus and Wolf
At this time, noticing Wolf's absence, Marcus also decides to reach the northern stations before the general does, but by helicopter. Taking fifteen fighters with him, he leaves some of them at the Shchorsa Belt to ambush Wolf's detachment. At the Shchorsa Belt, the helicopter is hit from the ground and falls on the building. Only Markus and two members of his squad - Alexei Berdnikov and Lev Ionnikov - survive. Together with them, Markus, gritting his teeth continues his journey.

Wolf's squad, meanwhile, finds surviving equipment: a Ural truck and a motorcycle. On their way, they are ambushed by Markus' men, which results in the blowing up of a motorcycle with a crew of Vala Mehsa and Luba Luck. Before she dies, Vala manages to take two of Marcus' men with her. After a while, Wolf orders them to abandon the vehicles and the journey continues on foot. At the pond near the Central Park Public Works, the squad is attacked by Octopus. He kills the squad's sergeant, Irina Armor, while two other squad members, the wounded Ksyusha Arrow and Lena Monashka, save the squad by blowing themselves up by the Octopus. As it turns out later, this heroism was in vain. Near the park, the survivors are attacked by Werewolves, controlled by Octopus. Grinko, who has managed to be wounded by the Werewolf, says that the Octopus is powerless in the park. Everyone retreats there. The mutants do not pursue them. One of the squad members, Olga (the sister of the dead Ksyusha), says that she stays with the wounded Grinko to provide him with medical care. The general, ordering both of them to survive, continues on his way with Nikitina.

Meeting in the Tower
Ivan and Zhivchik, passing through Bazhovskaya, find themselves in an old tower, where they meet the Hermit, a friend of Ivan's grandfather and the commander of the Dynamo. He shows them the underground path, which leads to the District Officers' House, where there is a rocket control panel to blow up the Bunker. Heinrich and Nikitina burst into the tower. Zhivchik, as soon as he sees the old enemy, shoots the general, but he is saved by Katya by framing himself for the bullets. Kostya, before leaving, is struck by Nikitina's courage. After that, Heinrich hides, and Malgin and Fedotov leave. The hermit offers Henry one last fight, to which he agrees.

But at that very moment, the tower is blown up by a helicopter on the orders of Marcus, who is nearby. The helicopter picks up Marcus and returns to the Bunker. However, on its way to the base, the helicopter loses control and crashes. The pilots are burned alive. Marcus survives, though he still could have helped the pilots, but didn't. Upon reaching the District Officers' House, he spots Zhivchik and Ivan. Marcus opens fire on them and kills what he thinks is Zhivchik. Ivan, on the other hand, approaches Teuton and brutally kills him, taking revenge for his friends and the station.

The End
Once in the District Officers' House, Ivan fires a rocket that destroys the Bunker and the mutants from the Uktuska Mountains, who attacked the Bunker at the same time. Master Vit - the head of the Order of the Mirror - approaches him and informs him that Fedotov Jr. is not dead and is now returning to his native Botanicheskaya. However, Ivan will not be able to follow him, as he has contracted radiation sickness. To save Ivan from death, Vit takes him to the Shchorsa Belt, promising that there Malgin can be cured.

Main Characters

 * Ivan Alexandrovich Malgin is the main character of the novel. A sentinel from "Botanicheskaya" station.
 * Konstantin Pavlovich Fedotov (Zhivchik) - Ivan's friend, son of the chief of "Botanicheskaya" station, Ivan's attendant.
 * Heinrich "The Wolf" Stanislavovich - the head of the Bunker, who was behind the destruction of Dynamo and 1905 Square, and the capture of Botanicheskaya. He went with Nikitina's detachment toward the northern subway stations.
 * Ekaterina Nikitina (Nikita) - commander of the female Amazon squad. She went with Wolf, Grinko, and others toward the northern stations of the Underground Railroad.
 * Marcus Teuton - the main antagonist of the novel. He, along with Alexei Berdnikov, has been swept up in the power in the Bunker.

Secondary Characters

 * Anna Petrovskaya (Mistress of the Copper Mountain) is a ghost who lives near Bazhovskaya. In the past she was the bride and a member of Ignat Moskvich's unit.
 * Ignat Moskvich is a soldier of the Dynamo station. Anna Petrovskaya's fiancé.
 * Pavel Semyonovich Fedotov - chief of "Botanicheskaya" station. Konstantin's father, an old friend of Alexander Malgin.
 * Alexander Malgin - Ivan's grandfather, who raised him.
 * Svetlana Grigoryevna Igoshina - Ivan's "bride" and Zhivchik's friend. Part of the novel accompanied Ivan and Konstantin;
 * The Hermit - the head of the "Dynamo" station and an old acquaintance of Alexander Malgin.
 * Vyacheslav Arkadyevich Grinko - a young biologist in Wolf's squad;
 * Master Vit - head of the Order of the Mirror, which is located in the Shchorsa Belt.
 * Uncle Ike - an empath who lives somewhere in the Shchorsa Belt. In the past, he was a resident of 1905 Square.
 * Valentin Panteleyevich is an old friend of Heinrich the Wolf.

Interesting Facts
Ниже_ада
 * The first novel, the debut for the author from the portal, selected not from the top 5, but from the top 20 fanfics.
 * For the first time, it announces an over-the-top plot idea about government troops surviving in Siberia.
 * One of the most mystical novels in the series.