Behelit

A Behelit is a fictional object in the universe of Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga and the anime based off of it. The following is an explanations of what, in the context of the Berserk universe, a Behelit is and what it does.

What It Is

A Behelit is a small, oval object resembling an egg, with a set of human facial features scattered randomly across its surface, giving the thing a rather disconcerting appearance. In fact, reference is often made in the story to the fact that the Behelit looks to be a living thing, and it emits a certain aura of unspecified dread. On occasion, it seems as though on of the Behelit's eyes opens and stares at the examiner, though this is usually quickly disregarded as merely an illusion.

In the anime series, only one Behelit is expressly shown or mentioned. It is the crimson Behelit owned by Griffith, leader of the Band of the Hawk. It is also called the Egg of the Conqueror, and was given to Griffith by an old fortune teller. It is believed that any possessing the Behelit is destined to someday become a King, and as this is very much in line with Griffith's ambition, he continues to hold on to it.

In the manga series, Guts tracks down and destroys a number of different Behelits, fully understanding the evil they truly entail.

The Behelit is ultimately a tool used by mankind to summon the God Hand, a group of immensely powerful, god-like demons, supposedly themselves the servants of a dark God humanity would probably prefer to have nothing to do with. A Behelit is not really found or kept by a human, rather it finds its way to the one fated to posses it, and ultimately tempts him with the power only a supernatural entity can wield.

Griffith's own Behelit found the man, for it was his fate to become a new member of the God Hand. In this regard, his Behelit was also unique, for it was meant to be used by the one new mortal to transcend and become a member of the upper demon echelon, a true member of the God Hand. Most of the other Behelits seen in the story are more minor artifacts, meant to transform the men who wield them into minor demons and abominations, with immense power over mortals, but mere worms and servants under the stupendous power of the God Hand.

How It Works

In all cases, the ritual involved with the creation of a new demon, and the summoning of the God Hand, plays out in a similar fashion. The mortal possessing (or perhaps possessed by) the Behelit must feel an intense desire, an intense need for power and change, prompted primarily by his or her own strongly negative feelings of vanity, greed, anger, vengeance or the like. This in turn "awakens" the Behelit (sometimes contact with the users blood is required), the human features rearrange themselves into a face, the eyes open and bleed, and the mouth opens to scream. The God Hand hears and comes, opening a rift to their own dimension outside the world, and inviting the mortal into their fold, tempting him or her with supernatural power in return for a sacrifice, a gift of flesh and blood.

In order to obtain their its power, the mortal must agree to sacrifice something (or rather someone) infinitely precious to it. Only in such a case, the members of God Hand explain, will a high enough price be paid for a mortal to receive the dark "blessing" of beings so far above it. Generally the sacrifice will be family, friends, loved ones, or loyal followers. Perhaps all of the above.

If one fails to sacrifice something of sufficient value, one becomes the sacrifice, as punishment for wasting the time of the divine members of God Hand, and has one's soul confined to the eternal torment of Hell. This was the fate of the Count (Hakushaku), when he refused to sacrifice his daughter.

Those marked for sacrifice are branded with the God Hand's own Brand of Sacrifice, a laceration marked into their skin, which bleeds and hurts the victim when in the presence of a supernatural being. As part of the ceremony, the God Hand calls forth innumerable demons to feast upon the sacrificial offering. None are meant to survive the ritual, but any that do are forever branded with the sign of the God Hand, and wherever they may go, they will never know true peace, as local demons and ghosts attempt to overwhelm and reclaim one of their own.