Pinocchio's powers were practically ceaseless, his arbormancy and nightmare magic at work sustaining the fragile illusion of Geppo Morto's life. The former nearly never preyed or battled without the latter by his side, their wooden hearts beating in tandem. In this twisted symbiosis, Pinocchio found a semblance of solace, a reminder that he was never truly alone in his darkness.
That said, as a sign of his respect and care for Geppo Morto, Pinocchio occasionally allowed the undead puppet to “rest” alone sometimes, even going so far as to give it legitimate privacy and space. One such time, however…
Uriel, a shapeshifting chimera from Heaven, swooped down upon Pinocchio, beak-striking him with a precision that left a dent in the top of his wooden noggin!
The surrounding trees quivered as the powerful puppet's muzzled face contorted in shock and pain. “Ahi, che cazzo?!” he thought, frantically clutching his scalp!
With a series of arrogant, laugh-like chirps, Uriel (still in his woodpecker form) cast an epic barrage from above: gold ore projectiles that shattered upon impact, beams of light that illuminated the darkening sky, concussive bombs of holy power that shook the ground, and lashes of fire that lit several trees!
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But il Ragazzo di Legno was agile, dodging most of the attacks with ease as he shook off now-familiar visions of burning hamadryads! Despite valiant efforts, Uriel couldn't land a decisive blow on the living puppet! As the two enemies clashed, Uriel transformed into his pegasus form, but the makeshift boy was relentless! With a cocky grin, the latter summoned thick tree roots that burst up from the ground and violently pinned Uriel down!
The mock child seized the opportunity to strike, plunging a thick oak stake into one of the pegasus' haunches, eliciting an anguished whinny as he twisted and impacted the stake! Then, he unleashed a nightmarish hallucination that deluged Uriel's mind with visions of despair and terror! Uriel’s wings fluttered wildly, but he couldn’t escape! To add insult to injury, his captor imposed a chthonic silence, muffling requests for help!
Desperation calling louder, the chimera's form blurred and shifted, his majestic wings and blonde equine features giving way to the appearance of a beautiful blond preteen. The “real” boy's aquamarine eyes were wide with fear as he gazed up at the other mock child, his voice trembling, "Per favore, Giovanotto... spare me and lascia che ti aiuti! I can try to balance the darkness within you… CALM the haunter influence!" He reached out a hand, pleading, but the equally convincing boy was only slightly–nay, quite amused!
Pinocchio’s thoughts pierced Uriel's mind like a dagger, his imagination projecting vivid images and words that echoed in the angel's consciousness. "I AM 'balance', courtesy a Goddess older than and mightier than yours!" The words dripped with pedantry and malice. "All'inferno con te!" The final phrase seared itself into the angel’s mind, accompanied by an eerily convincing hallucination of his being in Hell!
Realizing he was beaten but refusing to succumb to the darkness, the angelic chimera made the ultimate sacrifice: self-immolation! His form incinerated into a concussion bomb of holy power and feathers!