Shadow Clone Sorcery
Chapter 29: Soul Pillar Ascends (2)

Lukas stirred to the early lights of dawn sneaking through his window. Elvis stood by the window, watching the street below. The other clone sat in a meditative pose, eyes closed. The ambient magic seemed to ebb and flow as he practiced magic circulation techniques.

“El-Two came by for a delivery,” Elvis said. “She was insistent about you taking the package, not me.”

“What did you tell her?” Lukas asked.

“The truth and she seemed genuinely excited for you.”

“Did you offer to take the package?”

The clone nodded, seeming amused. “Apparently, it was too precious and delicate for me.” El-One chuckled. “I’m too brawn over brains, heavy-handed, and don’t take things seriously.”

“It means you’re doing your job brilliantly.”

“Yes. yes. It’s easier to convince people that we’re two different people if you’re the one with brains, and I’ve got all the good looks.” El-One looked him up and down. “How do you feel, boss?”

“Incredible,” Lukas answered, grinning. “My magic stores are now double of when I first awakened the Soul Pillar.”

“No different, unfortunately.” Lukas closed his eyes and focused on his arcane senses. “There is something new, though. I can’t quite put my finger on… It’s arcane.”

He raised his eyebrows as he saw something move even though his eyes were closed. It wasn’t sight but felt like more the glimmer of a sixth sense.

“What is it, boss?” El-One asked.

Lukas tried creating an ordinary clone. Much to his annoyance, the magic demands were no different from before.

El-Three stood at attention and saluted. “Reporting for du—”

Lukas dispelled him, absorbing most of the magic that formed his shell. “Get the lights, El-One. I think I need darkness.” The clone complied, and Lukas’s new sense sharpened. “Of course,” he whispered. “It’s shadows. I can feel them. The range is the same as Shadow Clone’s, but the sense is so much sharper when I’m standing in complete darkness.”

When Lukas used Shadow Clone again, his magic stores only dropped by half of the usual. The surrounding darkness seemed to come alive and assist him, interweaving with arcane energies. They wrapped around his soul fragment together, forming the shell.

“Good job, boss,” El-Three said. “Want me to—”

Lukas dispelled all the clones and took a few minutes to take in all of their energy. There was far more than his body could contain. The clones’ endless magic gathering and channeling practice paid off. Instead of letting the energy disperse, he poured into the creation of an arcane specialized clone. Ambient energies, shadows, and a third of his own stores came together to form the El-One. He was different. It wasn’t just magic that seemed to embrace him but also the shadows. Lukas also recreated another Elvis—high-mass with agility and flexibility empowerment.

“Do it,” Lukas ordered. “Create the mantle”

The clones complied. Surrounding shadows came alive and embraced El-One, wrapping around him like a second skin. It seemed to gain tangibility, lingering in a state that resembled black smoke. The mantle took the form of Lukas’s hooded coat, ending just below the knees.

Stolen story; please report.

“Manipulate it. See if you can cover all of yourself.”

El-One had no trouble with the task. Instead of a garment, black coated every bit of exposed skin and the boots. He looked like a living shadow. Meanwhile, Elvis had a much lighter version of the mantle. It only coated his shirt and trousers. It looked like ripped fabric covered his neck and hands.

“It’s harder than it looks,” he said.

“Are you due at the smithy today?”

Elvis nodded.

“Go down early. Be the best employee you can be.” Lukas created a second Elvis. “Head to the arcane smithy near the temple district. They were looking for a new apprentice the last time I checked. Big lines three days in a row.”

“They seem harsh and exploitative,” the new Elvis complained.

“Does it matter?” Lukas asked. “We’re only interested in stealing their secrets.”

“Can’t you just make me look a bit more different? Maybe bulky and high mass?”

“It won’t matter if he’s slow,” the other Elvis added. “The smithy will appreciate the extra strength. Add arcane gathering techniques and a little shadow show, getting in shouldn’t be easy.” He looked at his twin. “Assuming you don’t fuck up whatever test they give you, of course.”

“I’m only as good as you but better.”

After some thought, Lukas dispelled the second Elvis and made a second arcane specialization clone but with high mass. He moved with more gravitas than the others. Each of his steps was slow but loud. The clone had no trouble creating a full Shade’s Mantle but went one step further and pulled it under his clothes, making it disappear.

“Neat. Aren’t I?” The clone grinned.

“Show-off.” Elvis grinned.

“Run along, El-Three,” Lukas said.

“Yes, boss.”

Elvis and El-Three departed together. The first went out the door and the other through the window. Lukas didn’t expect a high-mass clone to smoothly move along the rooftops but was confident he wouldn’t hurt himself when just hopping down to ground level. He turned his attention to the new El-One.

“Think you can try a shadow bolt or something?”

El-One held out his hand. Shadows tore themselves away from his sleeve and gathered in his hand in a tight, eyeball-sized sphere. The core was dense and reminded Lukas of the Essence of Phasing’s center. The darkness was so deep it appeared unreal. The edges were more wispy and smoky.

Absolute absence of light.

“I don’t think I have enough skill to launch it,” El-One said, jaw clenched. It seemed he was struggling to contain the manipulated, shaped, and condensed shadow. Lukas touched it. After the initial surface tension, it was like he was immersing his finger in dense vapors. “I don’t think I can hold it for long.”

“Throw it then.”

Once Lukas pulled back, the clone threw the ball at the wall. It struck with a soft thud and then popped like a water balloon, and darkness burst from it, spreading along the surface. It lingered in a state between liquid and gas for just over five seconds before dissipating.

“Not a lot of force behind it,” the clone said. “It probably won’t do more than blind or confuse someone for a few seconds.”

“Often, that’s all the time we need,” Lukas said. “Good job. Your only job for the foreseeable future is practicing this and the recovery technique. Nothing else. We need shaping and manipulation of shadows to be so instinctual that even meathead clones can do it. Afterward, we’re going to work on adding solidity to those spheres.”

Lukas created a fourth clone. It had low mass and agility empowerment. El-Four summoned a light Shade’s Mantle and grabbed a buckler and mundane shortsword.

“Head to the eastern wall. Watch our old friend’s store. See what’s going on there. If possible, also check out the secret port. If saboteurs and enemy forces are creeping in through it, there is a chance they’re bringing in things worth stealing.”

“About time we expand our accommodation.” El-Four nodded. He raised his hood and covered his face using a shadow mask. It wasn’t as smooth or quick as when the arcane specialized clones did it. “Should I head to the guildhouse afterward? Kwame isn’t too busy today, and I think we’re comfortable enough to use Frar and Skina without the focus.”

“Good thinking,” Lukas nodded, stripping off the previous day’s dirty clothes. “I’ll get freshen up and get ready. It's time Penelope and I have a serious talk.”