[Giles expects the knife to go straight through his hand - after all, he can still see the scar he'd once marked Helios with, on the hand that's currently closed around his throat. But it doesn't - the blade just cuts, again and again. Eventually, out of morbid fascination and horror, Giles turns to see what Apep is doing to him.
And then he recognizes the sigil being carved into his palm, and feels his heart constricted in his chest. His face pales for reasons far more serious than blood loss.]
Oh, god...
[It's the first sign of true fear he's shown since the torment began.
Giles attempts to call out to Helios any more are choked off with a feeble gasp as Helios, as Apep, puts pressure on his throat, choking him. He tries to fight, tries to throw Helios off with the animal desperation of someone trying to survive the threat of death, but he's too thoroughly restrained and he's lost too much blood. It's only a few seconds before his vision starts to blur, and narrow into one long tunnel with Helios' tearful green eyes at the other end, but it feels like an eternity. Helpless and hurt and powerless to spare Helios the pain of killing him, powerless to save either himself or his friend, and with far too long to think on his own failure as he's dying...
He starts breathing reflexively as the pain suddenly recedes, and the first thing he knows is blood spattering against his face. He doesn't even realize what's happened, not at first. When he sees Helios go for his wrist, he actually tries to resist, tries to move his arm aside, afraid that the god might be trying to cut off his hand.
But then the snake lets out a death rattle, and he hears Helios scream in pain. And, dredging up just a little more of his reserves, Giles thinks very, very quickly, and realizes that he's just been given a chance.
With his wrists and arms still bleeding freely, it feels almost impossible to move his arms. But, all the more desperate and scared for this faint glimmer of hope, Giles does. The second the snake dies, he's trying to twist his body to reach the serpent still binding his other arm. If he can just sit up, if he can just shove Apep off of him...]
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And then he recognizes the sigil being carved into his palm, and feels his heart constricted in his chest. His face pales for reasons far more serious than blood loss.]
Oh, god...
[It's the first sign of true fear he's shown since the torment began.
Giles attempts to call out to Helios any more are choked off with a feeble gasp as Helios, as Apep, puts pressure on his throat, choking him. He tries to fight, tries to throw Helios off with the animal desperation of someone trying to survive the threat of death, but he's too thoroughly restrained and he's lost too much blood. It's only a few seconds before his vision starts to blur, and narrow into one long tunnel with Helios' tearful green eyes at the other end, but it feels like an eternity. Helpless and hurt and powerless to spare Helios the pain of killing him, powerless to save either himself or his friend, and with far too long to think on his own failure as he's dying...
He starts breathing reflexively as the pain suddenly recedes, and the first thing he knows is blood spattering against his face. He doesn't even realize what's happened, not at first. When he sees Helios go for his wrist, he actually tries to resist, tries to move his arm aside, afraid that the god might be trying to cut off his hand.
But then the snake lets out a death rattle, and he hears Helios scream in pain. And, dredging up just a little more of his reserves, Giles thinks very, very quickly, and realizes that he's just been given a chance.
With his wrists and arms still bleeding freely, it feels almost impossible to move his arms. But, all the more desperate and scared for this faint glimmer of hope, Giles does. The second the snake dies, he's trying to twist his body to reach the serpent still binding his other arm. If he can just sit up, if he can just shove Apep off of him...]