Helikaon stars as the main character of this fictional take on the story of Troy. In the first novel Helikaon is a prince of Dardania with a deep dark past and unknown evils with in himself. Through out the novel the reader uncovers more history about the character and what happened in his past that made him the hero he became. Through this mysterious character we see many things but ten emotions stand out the most with in him.
Kindness is needed to make most heroes but sometimes it is a different kind then the one that is shown to your enemies. Helikaon tends to only show kindness to women and children and his friends. At the beginning of the novel Helikaon is in ancient day Cyprus on a hill worshiping the god Apollo when a young child comes up asking him to help her mother who is sick:
..."Please don't leave!" she cried. "Mother is sick"
He knelt down and lifted a heavy cloak from behind a rock, then, sitting beside her qrapped the garment around her shoulders. It was of the softest wool. "You came to the shrine seeking help for your mother? Has a healer visited her?"...
Him willing to help her alone shows kindness and giving her his cloak is even kinder.
Helikaon being a hero also has compassion but does not have as much compassion as one would think. Helping the girl was one sign of compassion but he also helped a warrior who had saved his life earlier named Argurios. Argurios was declared a traitor and assassins went after him he defeated them but took many wounds. Helikaon helped him and got him a doctor and saved his life. True compassion.
Fear is something all humans know, in fact maybe even all animals, to not have fear is
impossible. Helikaon has fear but it is buried deep with in him. His fear is of life.
..."Your mother threw herself off a cliff. You saw it.... "
Ever since he witnessed his mother jump in front of him and his father, king of Dardania, take him down to stare at the body Helikaon was frightened of death and became a weak child until a man named Odysseus came and helped him. Odysseus never helped to fully conquer the fear but helped in more ways then Helikaon could be grateful for. Helikaon conquered most of his fear.
Also all heroes need to be brave. When Helikaon was still not yet an adult his father was murdered and Dardania was thrown into chaos when Helikaon and his fathers new wife Halysia were unsure of who would take his place. Soldiers gathered as Helikaon approached the queen and gave her full power over his homeland. Doing such an act is uncountably courageous starting Halikaon's reputation for being a hero.
When times test only heroes stand out in the dark. For Helikaon his cleverness has saved him many times in battle. After a tragedy Helikaon set out after the killers and they massed on their boats. The battle happened on water and Helikaon predicted their strategy then did a risky but successful counter move before they attacked. Through this and secret fire weapons he won the day even though he was out numbered.
Helikaon though a warrior with many emotions still manages to stay calm. This has two traits in itself. Amazing self discipline and calmness. He demonstrates this many times in the book even when he is holding the head of his best friend and when he is staring at his most hated enemy he still stay calm. Who else can do this but heroes.
Those are all the good sides to this hero, but he has a dark side that in some cases is more dominant. When his father was assassinated Helikaon swore revenge on the killer but never found him. Years later when his best friends was tortured and murdered he swore to kill the murderer Kolanos. He then chased after him and made battle on the water. He took the captured enemy put them in one ship and burned them alive. That is vengeance hatred and ruthlessness. As well when his step brother was murdered and his step mother raped Helokaon set off after the killers. He found them and attacked one of their islands killing all the men and taking all the women and children for slaves. Helikaon's dark tortured souls lashes out when bad things happen to him from his twisted childhood but he has managed to save it mostly and has become more hero then villian.
Helikaon goes through many heart aches in the novel but not all is bad. Through his adventures he meets his one love, Andromache who is unfortunately promised to the hero of Troy Hektor. As Troy awaits his return Helikaon and Andromache spend time together, though it is awkward time and nothing happens. Then as the story reaches its climax Hektor is announced dead and Helikaon asks for Andromache's hand which she gives him. Later that day the palace is attacked by a traitor and a battle begins and leading the attack is Helikaon's quarry Kolanos. The few defenders are outnumbered and all seems lost when Hektor storms in and defeats the last of the enemy. Kolanos being an evil coward surrenders and the day is saved. All is well again except that Helikaon looses his love for Hektor returned and he is unwilling to hurt his friend. This opening novel sets out the field for the famous siege of Troy and its downfall.
