A new, frantic light ignited in Verakis's eyes. It wasn't the light of hope—hope was dead in this plaza—but the light of a man who realized he was the sole witness to the greatest lie in history.
'If I die here, the truth dies with me,' he thought, his heart hammering against his bruised ribs like a trapped bird. 'I have to live... I have to tell them!'
'I have to tell the Legion that the monster has so many identities and is among them!'
"You won't... get away with this!" Verakis roared, forcing his broken body upward. "The truth will burn you, Rex! Even if I die, the truth will survive!"
Rex tilted his head, a gesture of mock encouragement. "Then show me, Dante Verakis!"
"Show me the strength of a man who has nothing left to lose!" Rex smirked. "Give me your best shot. Don't disappoint me."
Verakis didn't hesitate. He reached deep within himself, beyond the energy and the soul, tapping into the ancient, forgotten layers of the universe.
