"Stop. You're getting ahead of yourselves. You've created a layer of magic on your hands and shadow will adhere to it if you will it to. BUT, it will not be uniform. The shadows will not take the precise form you want them to. The next phase of this technique is not to have shadows adhere to your hands, but to create a second layer, much much thinner than the first over the layer covering your hands.

It's like wearing a set of thin latex gloves over big fluffy ones. The first layer will breath life into the shadow without actually getting it to move. It will cause the shadow to come alive and want to move. If you were to perform the technique without this step, the shadows would instead adhere to your hands only if you physically touched them with each part of your hands... like sugar crystals or flour.

The outer layer will make the shadows live, and when they come into contact with the secondlayer, they will move of their own accord and follow the template set out by the second layer... these are the first two steps...

To summarize the first steps are

1. Forming a dense template in the shape you want the shadows to take

2. Form a second layer, a thin membrane over the template and touch it to your shadow.

Understood?"

He nodded and restarted the procedure. He made the glove of magic around his hand, and before allowing the darkness to engulf it, made a second, thinner shell over it. The shadows on his arm didn't react anymore and his hand wasn't heavy anymore. He nodded to himself and looked up at Mortimer, holding his hand next to his head, as if to say: I succeeded.

Listening to Mortimer's explaination once again may have help a little this time but the example showed a very great help. His thought were thinking, "this is just about the same as Overdrive... just that all there's to do is just a slight change" It was rather simple to understand already.

Daisuke step up and tried it flowing the magical energy and making a link towards his shadow itself taking the form of what seemed to be the Overdrive's pole form.

Mortimer seemed enraptured in his own proceedings his eyes closed as he held his hand before him covered in the same shadow stuff as his apprentices.

"Now comes the final part. Once the shadow has aligned with the template you must then send a fast hard burst throughout the construct.

So long as it is your own magic, your shadow should absorb it. In doing this, your shadow will become totally solidified and firm. By experimenting you will find that your shadow can take on any number of densities and textures such as metal, stone, wood, ceramic, glass, leather or even cloth.

Based on your own natural bursting inclinations, your shadow gloves should take on some form of substance reminiscant of a real world material. In time you will learn to adjust this to the textures and densities I have already mentioned. So then, what have you all found your natural textures to be then?"

Ryousuke already understood on everything there is to know already and it seems that this shadow magic is rather useful for them, doppelgangers. He was done with his research and sent all the data collected to Daisuke's mind giving him the ideas on how to use it. There wasn't really any reason of much to hide anymore but he prefers to do so as he could do it as well even though in a form of a necklase.

Darren took another look at Mortimer and tried again.

Instead of having the shadows snap to him uncomfortably he created a field of magic around his hands.

Then he repeated the process of snapping the shadows unto his hands.

This time it didn't hurt as it snapped on to his hands.

He looked to see that instead of a hand one of his hands his left arm turned into a gauntlet looking thing that had sharp claw looking things protruding out instead of fingers.

He looked at Mortimer. He wasn't surprised too much by it, but wondered if he could change it back?

"Ah..!" He was rather surprised with all the data flowing into his mind. He understood it finally and then had the ideas of how to use it. Textures and densities of the shadow wouldn't really be of a matter as they are doppelgangers. "Hmm let me try something else then"

He moved under the shadow of a tree and then summoned Doppels. The shadow arise and slowly takes the physical form of Daisuke and then solidfy. This was only under the shadow coming from the tree he was under. "Woah cool!" It was rather exciting for him knowing that he could do it under other shadows as well.

Taurou copied the others and his magic turned into claws. Quite the useful weapon he thought to himself. He could feel the magic flowing through his arms and it felt just like when he was getting ready to cast a spell. He awaited his next orders.

Looking out at his students, Mortimer saw that Daisuke had left, Darren had turned his shadow into a guantlet and Taurou had turned his into a set of claws.

Mortimer saw however that they had yet to truly master the technique and allowed the shadows to move of their own accord and blur. Odds are these were simply their own "flavors" made manifest. Darrens had turned into something resembling a wicked piece of metal, slightly blury but with small sharp protrussions. Taurou's was more animalistic, a mimicry of organic compounds possibly...or just a tribal style? If they created anything else with their shadows it would probably be similar in style to what they had just formed here. He guessed this is what happens to a person who had performed shadow shaping but had yet to fully embrace their shadows as a pat of them.

Still moving on unpertrubed he continued "Now, the one weakness of shadow shaping is that it requires you to concentrate constantly on what you are doing. In time you will be able to shift the concentration to the back of your mind so you can maintain shadows and still perform actions without devoting all your attention to them. All you have to do to let your shadows dissipate, is to stop concentrating on them." With that the shadows covering Mortimers hands disapeared leaving no trace of ever having been there.

"Now I want you two to go through actions as you would every day and maintain your constructs the entire time. Meet back here in one hour and we will check on your progress... and remember, if you stop concentrating on the shadows for even a moment they will dissapear."

Nhieling had heard of this lesson, and came in.
Sorry, I'm late. As everyone looked at him oddly, Nhieling added : I'm not interested in shadow magic, I already know the theory and basis about it, but I'm not really good with this kind of magic.
Mortimer, I was more interested into the cocoon you used to heal yourself, could you give me some information about it? I don't necessary want to be able to perform it myself, but I have an idea of what i could do with the theory behind it.

Darren had a momentary look of surprise on him as Mortimer said that.

Hmm I dunno he thought keeping things in mind without concentrating seems hard, he thought.

Sigh might as well try it He said pulling out a book

He sat there trying to read "Pudding and fire trucks and how they relate to dragons Part II" for a bit until he got tired of continuously stopping himself to concentrate on the magic and back to the book.

Argh! How's it on your end Pyoh? He questioned looking at Pyoh with the weirdest look of constant strain on his face.

Taurou was surprised at how much concentration it really took to keep the shadow manifested. He was going to take a nap like he usually did, but this would stop him from successfully doing so. So he took out a book, like Darren, and sat outside under a tree. It was quite the thick book, but one of his claws plunged through it and place a large rift in the middle of the pages. Sunovabitch.. He went back into the classroom and said to Darren, It's a pain in the ass to read with these things. He lifted his hands showing him the claws of shadow. Put a hole in my book... He lifted it and made a face close to "T.T" . He put the book back in his coat's pocket, and started sketching on the top of one of the benches with his claws.

"The shadows embrace is actually a spell rathe than an extension of shadow shaping. Rather than focusing on it, one must simply recite the incantation and correctly adapt the healing infusion to the individual. Its overrall structure is an outer shell of shadow surrounding the individual. However within the shell, the subject is being synchronized with the heartbeat of the caster, and suffused with energy to accelerate the healing process. The truth is that it's basically a cura spell but much more gradual on a steady drip of magics to repair a persons damaged body. It also has the added benefit of stimulating the pineal gland and causing the people within the embrace to fall asleep while their body is stimulated into self repair, deriving energy from the long-term cura effect... any questions?"

"Actually the trick is to synchronize YOURSELF with the person. The outermost layer is meant to act as a protective coating and directionalization of the healing energies. The person casting the spell is connected to the one inside the cocoon BEFORE they are fully enveloped in it. So what you have is essentially a connective... wire of sorts which links the hearts and magics of the two people. The person outside sends magic in through this "wire" through the shell which stores it, converts it into healing energy and (based on the synchronization) supplies the healing to the neccessary parts of the body. That make it clearer?"

"Yes. But I'm asleep while I'm in there."

Darren listened in on the conversation.

Hmm I think I might be getting this more and more he muttered

But in anycase it's amazing that these mages can back up what the inner workings of some of their moves, he thought I mean... I bet 1/2 of the dragoon platoon is not as in snych with their magics as much as these people...

He took a look at his shadow magic.

He didn't want to interrupt so he asked them after they were done discussing.

Erm...Master Mortimer? Is it possible wearing something similar to my shadow on my left hand under it will strengthen the connection and in term power and control over it?


He sat up straight ready to take in whatever was gonna be said.

"...Maybe but I wouldn't advise it. Mostly because you don't want to pigeon hole the effectiveness of your shadow shaping to your hands alone. I should probably explain some of the benefits of using shadow... as well as its weaknesses. Now, when using a shadow in combat you are both incredibly powerful and incredibly vulnerable. Without proper training most people can't focus on their shadow in combat and use it effectively, which is why it is so important to maintain concentration. I can teach you all tricks for concentrating later. Anywho, the main weakness of shadow magic is that it is defensible by almost any form of barrier. Spiritual blocking, elemental blocking and physical blocking, all are capable of stopping a shadow... However if you progress far enough, this weakness can be overcome and even made into a strength."

Surrounding his middle finger in shadow and cocking it to restraint with his thumb, he let loose the shadow on one of the desks, splitting it in two. "When used as a weapon, shadows are capable of greatly increasing the impact force, almost like multiple saggitta magica bolts in a single object... or in this case a finger. Eventually shadows may take on individual properties, such as barrier breaking allowing an experienced mage to break all three kinds of barriers rather than be blocked by them." Allowing the shadow to drop from his finger, he reformed it into a long spear. "Shadows can be used for more than just gloves and skin tight clothing" he said as he swung the spear in precise arcs and thrusts at the air. "Spears, shields, armor, boxes, sleds even walls, by mastering this technique a person has a virtual armory at their fingertips, so long s they maintain their concentration and practice, this technique is by far one of the most versitile in existance." Finishing the spear kata he allowed it to drop back once again into the ground as his shadow.

"The only true limitations are your magical power, your imagination, and the amount of shadows you can create... and how smart you are in finding them."

Taurou wasn't really listening, but when Mortimer split the table, he sat straight, his shadow claws disappearing due to his surprise. He listened as he talked about the "armory at your fingertips" and contemplated a lot of different possibilities. Master, if I can use the shadows as clothes, could I make it into a permanent armour?

Darren nodded at the explanation. The visual aid was really helping he thought as he thought of what he was gonna say.

Okay that makes sense, I shouldn't be TOO focused on that gauntlet aspect of it but also explore the other areas of what I can make the shadows do as well?

Also..he continued your also saying that it can be used both offensively depending on how I manipulate it?

I understand what your saying with diversifying, really I do. It's an amazing art to witness he said dissipating the shadows the enveloped his left hand.

But...I don't have time to train my body in every aspect of it...

Tell me Master, if I developed the shadows arts with my left arm will it be strong enough to still be somewhat useful?
Or do I need to devote my whole body to the shadow magics? I cannot put all of it's power in this outer extremity?

He started to look a bit worried.

I'm getting the shadows are flexible but do you think I can contain it all in here? he said raising his left arm. He concentrated as he tried to envelop his whole arm with it but thought better and made it only extend a bit longer from his hand.

Like Mortimer said, as soon as Daisuke lost focus on the shadow clone, it just dissappears "Uwah-.. this is harder than the normal one" He inquires as Doppels can control it's own forms and take orders automatically like a robot or computer. The shadow magic on the other hand was rather different as he couldn't summon more than one shadow clone unless he's able to keep focus on that many which probally he can't right now. He made a sigh saying "Haha.. I failed..." It wasn't as easy as he thought it'd be at first and now he understood.

Listening to Mortimer's long speech once again, he was able to gather the information rather quickly this time and that was odd for him but not a big matter to care about. Continueing with the lesson then.

"Taurou, yes, you could indeed make your clothes out of shadow to act as a permanent armor... but I wouldn't advise it without acclimating yourself with it first. And the armor you create will not be very strong at first. Nor will it be very large. To add to it, a set of armor actually requires multiple shadows, each of which must be concentrated on. I suggest you start small, perhaps with grieves or boots, and then progress to larger constant fixtures. Be warned that if you do not gently acclimate yourself to shadows and build up a tolerance, your entire body could very well end up like your arms."

"You seem to be misunderstanding the concept of shadows Darren. Shadows and magic. You do not need only one body part to materialize shadow. All that is required is for you to create the properly aligned fields to interact with the shadow. You don't send shadows out of your limbs. Your shadow is an outward manifestation if you hadn't noticed" indicating his silhouette. "What you are doing is creating a magical field outside of your body, and causing your shadow to take on the template you created. There is no such thing as sacrificing your limbs to shadow. It does not require it... though extensive exposure to it by someone who has yet to build up a...resistance can lead to some unfortunate side effects. Taurou's arms and eye are a case in point."

Since Mortimer didn't seem to ask anything, Nhieling just started leaving : Okay, thank you and seeya, I have experience to do now...