Chapter Thirty-Nine (Chapter 40) Summary: The Sky Battle with Nergal
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Sik steers the winged chariot through a violent storm, blinded by rain and battered by wind. The two lamassus pull with effort, but Sik spots the enormous black raincloud above the city and remembers Gilgamesh's idea to use the water supply to spread the cure. As Nergal attacks in his full divine form—four rainbow wings, gold skin, and a spear of gold and silver—Sik dodges and climbs toward the cloud. Nergal lands on the chariot and stabs Sik in the shoulder and thigh, noticing the tub of cure. He offers to heal Sik's parents in exchange for the potion. Sik refuses and jumps out of the chariot directly into the thunderhead, pulling off the lid so the glowing droplets vaporize into the storm. The cure disperses into the cloud as Sik falls, eyes closed, trusting the weather to carry it.
Key Events
- Sik struggles to control the chariot as the storm and Nergal's attacks batter him.
- Nergal appears in his true godly form with four rainbow-colored wings, a horned helmet, and a spear.
- Sik spots the massive raincloud and realizes he can use it to spread the cure faster than via the water supply.
- Nergal stabs Sik twice, then sees the tub and demands it, offering to cure Sik's parents.
- Sik refuses and leaps into the thunderhead, opening the tub so the cure vaporizes into the cloud.
Character Development
Sik reaches a turning point where his wit and resilience meet a desperate sacrifice. Even wounded and exhausted, he continues to banter with Nergal, using humor as a shield. His decision to jump into the storm shows he values the greater good over personal safety or promises of saving his parents. He trusts in a plan that requires him to fall blindly.
Nergal is fully revealed as a god who finds beauty in chaos and destruction. He admits he is destroying the city because he is bored, and he claims that the monstrous behavior of the poxies reflects what humans are like inside. His offer to cure Sik's parents is a manipulation, but it also shows that he recognizes the potion as a genuine threat.
The lamassus continue to symbolize loyalty and endurance, straining even when exhausted to follow Sik's commands.
Gilgamesh and Belet are mentioned as still fighting, but their fates remain uncertain—Nergal believes Gilgamesh will eventually give in.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Chaos as beauty – Nergal explicitly states that chaos is captivating, and that he is destroying the city because he finds it beautiful. This contrasts with the human desire for order and safety.
The storm as hope – The same tempest that endangers Sik becomes his tool for spreading the cure. The raincloud, black and swollen, holds the potential to wash the city clean.
The tub of cure (eau de toilette) – The physical object shifts from a treasured keepsake to a mechanism of salvation. Sik's willingness to open it mid-air transforms it into a dispersed mist, a symbol of hope spreading without control.
Sacrifice and leap of faith – Sik jumps without knowing the outcome, letting go of both the chariot and the physical cure. This act mirrors the leap of faith heroes must take when the plan is not guaranteed.
Human nature – Nergal argues that the poxies' violence reveals the true monster inside every human. The narrative questions whether that is accurate or merely a god's cynical view.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the climax of the airborne battle and sets up the final resolution. Sik's decision to spread the cure via the raincloud instead of the water supply is a creative pivot that speeds up the story's conclusion. It also marks Sik's most selfless moment: he risks falling to his death and refuses a deal that could save his parents personally. The confrontation with Nergal in his full power forces Sik to rely on quick thinking and stubborn courage rather than strength. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as Sik falls into the unknown, leaving readers to wonder whether the cure will work and whether Sik will survive.
Study Questions & Answers
1. What does Nergal claim about the nature of human beings?
Nergal says that he only changed the outside of people into poxies; the monstrous behavior was already inside them. He believes humans are monsters at heart.
2. How does Sik plan to spread the cure?
Sik remembers Gilgamesh's idea about using the water supply. He decides to fly the chariot into a thunderhead and release the cure from the tub into the cloud so the rain carries it across the city.
3. Why does Nergal offer to cure Sik's parents?
Nergal makes the offer to persuade Sik to hand over the potion. He gives his word as a god, but Sik does not trust him and refuses, choosing instead to sacrifice himself and the deal.