Ctuchik

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Ctuchik is a fictional character in David Eddings' Belgariad. He is described as tall and cadavarous looking, with long hair and a long beard, both a yellow colour, essentially looking "like a walking corpse".

He is, along with Zedar and Urvon, a disciple of Torak and a sorcerer. Despite this, the three of them are enemies. Through the ages, Ctuchik has been involved with many schemes to bring about war and dissent in the West, most of them centered on Arendia. His disciple Chamdar is the one who usually puts his plans into action. Chamdar has also been hunting for the heir to the throne of Riva on Ctuchik's command, who wants the entire Rivan line to die so that Belgarion will not be born.

When Zedar crosses into Cthol Murgos from Nyissa after having stolen the Orb of Aldur from Riva, Ctuchik is there and steals the Orb and the boy Errand. Zedar escapes. Ctuchik returns to Rak Cthol and awaits the arrival of Belgarath, Garion, and company.

In a tour of his chambers, which are formed in a turret carved out of the mountain's side, while looking for the magician, the group sees the many vices that Ctuchik engages in: wealth, power, etc. Garion and Polgara stay behind in a torture chamber while Belgarath and Silk search out the other such rooms. When the two return, Silk makes a comment about Cthuchik's exotic vices. They find the magician in a plain room. He is leaning over a table, looking at the Orb. Errand is also there. Belgarath and Ctuchik begin a battle of Wills, in an attempt to destroy each other.

The Orb falls onto the floor and Errand picks it up and presents it to Garion. At this moment, Garion has a flicker in his mind of Ctuchik's fear at what would happen if Garion took up the Orb. Polgara warns Garion not to touch the Orb, but that does not matter. Ctuchik wills the Orb to "Be Not," which is the one thing a sorcerer cannot do because, according to the rules mentioned in The Belgariad, the Universe will not allow any of her creations to be unmade. Hence, when one attempts to unmake a thing, the gathered will to do that has no outside release and, instead, is released on the person, quite possibly a reflection of the Law of conservation of matter as earlier in the book, Polgara and Belgarath strongly imply Sorcery follows many scientific laws. Ctuchik, then, is obliterated from existence.

Belgarath evinced strong contempt for Ctuchik and his skills as a sorcerer, using the term 'magician' as an insult in referring to him. Belgarath observed that the training Torak gave his disciples is far less comprehensive than Aldur gave his in Belgarath the Sorcerer. Whether Ctuchik had advanced in his abilities, or Belgarath was originally mistaken is unclear, but by the time of the Belgariad, Ctuchik was able to hold his own at least to some degree in a no holds barred battle of sorcery with Belgarath (though it should be noted the writing at least appears to imply that Ctuchik was having a somewhat harder time of the duel). Polgara stopped Garion from interfering in the battle, admonishing him that they "were at the absolute limit" and any interference would "destroy them both".