Rex Havoc was afraid

In his past life he had thought he knew fear. He had laughed at it, even believed himself above it. He had mocked fear, and those who let fear dictate their actions. But what he thought was fear was just adrenaline, the rush of the unknown - and deep down he had embraced it. To a man who believed himself immortal, what was fear? Surely nothing could harm a man who was better than any other man alive?

Now he understood that what he thought was fearlessness was just arrogance, and it was only his connection to the Ortrix now that had given him true immortality.

But now he was deathly afraid.

The word scarcely conveyed the full range of the emotion. Fear, terror, merciless abject horror - these were inadequate expressions for this feeling.

He wondered if the absence of fear before he became immortal made this new fear more distinct, but knew to his core that this gnawing, clinging dread that immobilised him was warranted.

Intellectually, Rex knew himself to be one of the most powerful forces in existence, but he felt helpless and small. Jones was out there - a being just as powerful and full of hate. Bonded to existence by the Ortrix, able to do anything Rex could do, but not bound by understanding or hindered by compassion. Jones was his final task, his only real obligation now.

And Rex was petrified.

He calmed his mind and reached out.