Character · from book 4
Hellik
Emberus's twin, the red sun who catches Taranis at the Red Equinox, alibied for Geyrun's murder by the council, and Carl's second god-quest to kill. On the ninth floor he tells Carl through burning skin that he did not kill his brother's son, that their mother Apito is corrupted and Nekhebit behind it, and names Carl a friend of his church. On the tenth Carl calls him the most normal of the gods he has met, weighs the quest in Hungry Eyes — 'My choices were to kill Hellik. Not kill Hellik. Remove myself from Emberus as a worshipper. Or kill Emberus.' — and never fights him: he leaves the faith, and Taranis kills Emberus instead.
First appears: Book 4 · Seen for what it is: Book 8
Series arc
In hindsight, after book 8
For four books Hellik is a sun and a quest: the red brother who catches Taranis in a dromedarian's calendar (B4 ch. 3), a twin 'quite obsessed with killing both Emberus and big brother Taranis' on Emberus's card (B4 ch. 31), and the target of Kill Hellik, a quest Emberus sets him with a Celestial God Box as reward, which Carl shelves (B4 ch. 32). Book 7 gives him a voice — 'Tell my brother I did not kill his son' (B7 ch. 54) — and book 8 gives the quest its ending without him: Carl weighs killing Hellik, not killing him, leaving Emberus or killing Emberus (B8 ch. 35), and it is Emberus who dies, by Taranis's hand (B8 ch. 96). The obvious suspect was never the story.
As of book 8. The red sun of the Hunting Grounds, Emberus's twin, alibied for Geyrun's murder and Carl's second god-quest to kill since book 4; a voice on the ninth floor that said he did not do it. In book 8 he is named in the pig's curse story, weighed in Hungry Eyes — 'My choices were to kill Hellik. Not kill Hellik. Remove myself from Emberus as a worshipper. Or kill Emberus.' — remembered as the most normal of the gods Carl has met, and never fought. The trace below follows him from a dromedarian's calendar to the arena where his brother dies instead.
Through book 4
The red brother who chases Taranis across the sky and catches him four hours before dark; the Red Equinox is eleven days off (B4 ch. 3). Emberus's card: his twin, a sun god 'quite obsessed with killing both Emberus and big brother Taranis' (B4 ch. 31). Emberus's quests — Geyrun was murdered and the obvious suspect, Hellik, was in council with the rest; and Kill Hellik (B4 ch. 32).
Through book 5
A Temple of Hellik at the edge of the map; a bonus for killing his worshippers (B5 ch. 10).
Through book 6
A high-ranking cleric of Hellik guards a door in the club, automatically hostile to Emberus's worshipper, a boon if killed — 'What in the name of Hellik ith that?' (B6 ch. 18).
Through book 7
'You. Begone false god,' and Khepri leaves; an olive-skinned man sitting cross-legged beside Carl in Club Vanquisher, outside Khepri's temple, waving the bugs away: he did not kill Emberus's son; Apito is corrupted, the All Tree is rotting, Nekhebit has returned and is behind it; he will treat with Issitoq; 'Scolopendra stirs. It is all connected.' Carl is a friend of his church (B7 ch. 54). Emberus's answer is a quest to kill a hundred of his worshippers, and a promise of exquisite burning if Carl kills him (B7 ch. 57). One of the three Eris says Carl must kill (B7 ch. 76).
Through book 8
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' (B8 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 (B8 ch. 35). 'I need to make certain Hellik is dead before this eleventh floor ends or I get a smite' (B8 ch. 69). He is never fought: Carl leaves the faith in the arena, and Taranis kills Emberus (B8 ch. 95, B8 ch. 96).
In the pantheon
Hellik — sun and life; pantheon. Listed with the rest of the pantheon on the pantheon page.
Family and enemies
| Relation | With | Source |
|---|---|---|
| sibling-of | Taranis | B4 ch. 3 |
| twin-of (reversed) | Emberus | B4 ch. 31 |
| enemy-of | Emberus | B4 ch. 32 |
| enemy-of | Taranis | B4 ch. 31 |
| enemy-of | Emberus | B5 ch. 10 |
| worshipped-by | the ram clerics of Club Vanquisher | B6 ch. 18 |
| brother-of (reversed) | Emberus | B7 ch. 54 |
| child-of | Apito | B7 ch. 54 |
| banished-by (reversed) | Khepri | B7 ch. 57 |
| accused-by (reversed) | Nekhebit | B7 ch. 54 |
| treated-with (reversed) | Issitoq | B7 ch. 57 |
| brother-of (reversed) | Taranis | B8 ch. 19 |
| brother-of | Emberus | B8 ch. 35 |
Trace
The thread line by line, in reading order: its presence before anyone could see it, and the lines that made it legible. Each line is verbatim from the cited book.
| Where | The line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Book 4, Ch. 3 | Taranis strolls across the sky, chased by his red brother, Hellik, […] Taranis dismisses his evil brother with the storm | A dromedarian's calendar on the Hunting Grounds: the god is weather before he is a person. |
| Book 4, Ch. 31 | His twin brother is Hellik, another sun god who is quite obsessed with killing both Emberus and big brother Taranis. It’s a very dysfunctional relationship. | Emberus's card, the day Carl chooses him. |
| Book 4, Ch. 32 | » New Quest. Kill Hellik. | A quest his new god gives him, with a celestial box as reward; Carl sets it aside: 'Gods were invulnerable and level 250.' |
| Book 6, Ch. 18 | They believe the stained glass image depicts Hellik bringing truth to Apito, […] The image on the door is actually Taranis, Hellik’s older brother, husband to Apito. | The rams' theology on a club door. Book 8's Taranis was 'married to Apito, who was also his mom' (B8 ch. 19). |
| Book 7, Ch. 54 | Tell my brother I did not kill his son,” Hellik said […] “Tell him he cannot kill me, no matter how hard he tries. Tell him I love him, despite his madness. | The suspect's own words, the one time he speaks. |
| Book 7, Ch. 76 | You’ll have to kill all three, of course. Taranis, Emberus, and Hellik. But don’t worry. I’ll help. | Eris's price, on the ninth floor's last night. |
| Book 8, Ch. 35 | My choices were to kill Hellik. Not kill Hellik. Remove myself from Emberus as a worshipper. Or kill Emberus. | The quest weighed; the third is what Carl does, and the fourth is done for him by Taranis. |
Where they appear
| Book | Chapters they are in (of the book's) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — The Gate of the Feral Gods | 3/35 | Ch. 3, Ch. 31, Ch. 32 · the book's own page |
| 5 — The Butcher's Masquerade | 1/78 | Ch. 10 · the book's own page |
| 6 — The Eye of the Bedlam Bride | 2/74 | Ch. 18, Ch. 54 · the book's own page |
| 7 — This Inevitable Ruin | 7/89 | Ch. 49, Ch. 50, Ch. 51, Ch. 52, Ch. 54, Ch. 57, Ch. 76 · the book's own page |
| 8 — A Parade of Horribles | 6/99 | Ch. 19, Ch. 35, Ch. 39, Ch. 40, Ch. 69, Ch. 71 · the book's own page |
By book
Hellik in book 4 — The Gate of the Feral Gods
The red brother who chases Taranis across the sky and catches him four hours before dark; the Red Equinox is eleven days off (ch. 3). Emberus's card: his twin, a sun god 'quite obsessed with killing both Emberus and big brother Taranis' (ch. 31). Emberus's quests — Geyrun was murdered and the obvious suspect, Hellik, was in council with the rest; and Kill Hellik (ch. 32).
Hellik in book 5 — The Butcher's Masquerade
A red diamond at the edge of Carl's map is a Temple of Hellik: the brother and enemy of Emberus, a god Carl has a quest to kill and a bonus for killing the worshippers of, neither of which he means to touch yet (ch. 10).
Hellik in book 6 — The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
A high-ranking cleric of Hellik guards a door in the club, automatically hostile to Emberus's worshipper, a boon if killed — 'What in the name of Hellik ith that?' (ch. 18).
Hellik in book 7 — This Inevitable Ruin
'You. Begone false god,' and Khepri leaves; an olive-skinned man cross-legged in the burning temple, waving the bugs away: he did not kill Emberus's son; Apito is corrupted, the All Tree is rotting, Nekhebit has returned and is behind it; he will treat with Issitoq; 'Scolopendra stirs. It is all connected.' Carl is a friend of his church (ch. 54). Emberus's answer is a quest to kill a hundred of his worshippers, and a promise of exquisite burning if Carl kills him (ch. 57). One of the three Eris says Carl must kill (ch. 76).
Hellik in book 8 — A Parade of Horribles
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).