Fear burned through him, like a flame. Fear coursed through him, like icy water. He threw his head back and raised his dagger, to strike -- and cried out wordlessly, as if the great cry could gather all his fear together and set its swelling course behind him, to add it to his strength.
The protagonist is engulfed by intense emotions, feeling fear that manifests in contrasting ways. It consumes him with a burning intensity, yet simultaneously chills him like ice. This duality of fear illustrates the overwhelming nature of his feelings as he prepares to confront a challenge.