Character · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

Hellik

Emberus's twin, god of Sun and Life, the red brother who, in a dromedarian's telling of bubble 543's sky, chases Taranis and catches him four hours before dark — 'quite obsessed with killing both Emberus and big brother Taranis' — and the obvious suspect in Geyrun's murder, who was in council when it happened; Carl's god quest is to kill him.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 19 — One Fine Pig; Penelope
• Chapter 35 — Eris and the five-sided coin
• Chapter 39 — The Lollipop: a needle over the singer
• Chapter 40 — Heat four: survival containment; Team Flamengo
• Chapter 69 — The stables: who may leave; the Scavenger myth
• Chapter 71 — Hungry Eyes: the goodbye; Bautista's tea

Arc

Emberus's twin, the god Carl's second god-quest says he must kill. The AI names him in the story of the pig's curse — a succubus storyline for an unused seventh floor 'that also involved Emberus and Hellik and Taranis' (ch. 19). Quemada wants to hire on to kill him and expects to die doing it; Carl lays out his choices — kill Hellik, do not, leave Emberus, or kill Emberus — and remembers Hellik as the most normal of the gods he has met (ch. 35). 'I need to make certain Hellik is dead before this eleventh floor ends or I get a smite' (ch. 69). He is never fought: Carl leaves the faith in the arena, and Taranis kills Emberus (ch. 95, ch. 96).