Nico's unhurried stroll abruptly ended when he witnessed an older lad's setting one of the topiaries ablaze! Nico's eyes ignited with intensity, hallucinating the image of a hamadryad burning within the flames!

Without a word, Nico conjured a shared hallucination of the surrounding topiaries' own hamadryads approaching the arsonist! The hallucination also transformed the original burning topiary into an open gun rack! Another of Nico's powers numbed the arsonist’s pain but allowed his physical actions to continue unchecked. The latter's hands ineffectually tugged at the burning wood, charring and blistering his skin!

Nico's gaze lingered on the scene for a moment before he dispelled the it. The gun rack returned to its true form, and the older lad’s hands, still grasping the fiery branches, began to feel the full intensity of the overdue pain!

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The arsonist's eyes widened in terror as he realized what he had done, and a blood-curdling scream tore from his throat! He let go, stumbled backward, then tripped over his own feet as he desperately tried to escape the very real agony! The sound of his wails echoed through the night air even after the fire drowned, a haunting contrast to the festive instrumentals that still filled the piazza.

Nico had disappeared into the crowd, leaving the older lad's charred hands and shattered mind behind. The sound of the elder's screams still echoed in his ears, a haunting reminder of the power that lay within him. Worse, the image of the hamadryad burning within the topiary still lingered not only in Nico’s mind but also in il Cantante di Legno’s mind, confounding their grips on reality.