Mini training arc

With a sudden start, Midnight jumped to his feet, surprising Nalar.

"Apologies but with only a day to prepare, I'd like to make some basic preparations and run through my skills. Would it be alright for me to practice in this clearing?"

"Of course. I'd be interested to watch. From what you tell me, you are unique and I'd like to see your abilities."

With a nod, he switched back to his shadow form and began his basic drills. Using a tree, he practiced shifting his density and dodging attacks, and even traveling underground to emerge on different spots. He was still unsatisfied though. He had a decent body and some kickass abilities, but hand to hand combat would only get hom so far.

"Nalar. Any chance you have a weapon of some kind laying around?"

She cocks her head to the side. "Why? That would be pointless." Looking you over, she suddenly seems baffled. "Wait, were you planning on just fighting with your hands?"

"Well yea, but thats why..."

She holds up a hand. "Im gonna teach you something. See those tendrils you have? Why dont you try modding them? Try forming your arm into a sword, or a tentacle into a spear. Make 3 spears and 3 swords. You can sharpen the edges of all your tentacles or mod them in any way you see fit."

Its a good thing he was in shadow form so she couldn't see the dumbfounded look on his face. Midnight had never even thought to modify his shadow form. As he focused, it actually became clear that his body will respond to whatever he asked and it responded very quickly. Trying the same move again, he swung an arm and turned it into a sword blade. Where before he had put a dent in the tree, this time he had hacked a chunk out of it. As he stepped back, he launched three tentacles off his back with sharpened points and pierced the tree. With a bout of inspiration, he whipped a tentacle around and snapped a small limb off the tree.

"Goddam."

As Nalar begins a slow clap, he turns to face her.

"Now you are starting to get the hang of it. Although I'd prefer you not damage my trees anymore."

"Sorry. Actually, there is something else i was hoping I could check on."

Walking over, he picked up the snapped limb. As he held it, he released his bodily tethers and moved underground to a spot 6 feet away where he came back up again. As he looked at his tendriled hand, he was still holding the branch and it appeared to be no worse for wear.

"Umm, Nalar? I have a favor to ask."

It took most of the rest of the day to run through his abilities but it was well worth the effort. It turns out, he could teleport other objects and living things as well. Uncontent with teleporting Nalar since dryads might be more durable, he had teleported a few of her creatures as well. Downside is that Nalar told him that he was plainly visible as a dark spot moving across the ground and it took a few seconds of contact before he could transport someone. But it did open up some avenues of approach for him and gave him the opportunity to practice with his new spider partner Nagi. Things were looking up. By the time he was satisfied with his ability tests, the sun was low on the horizon. Midnight still had other abilities he didnt understand, but no way to test them. Specifically, could he control his own fertility? What were the results of mindbreak, how did the pro gamer hud work? As it turns out, another perk of shadow demon seemed to be that he no longer needed sleep, but as a creature of habit he transformed into human form and called it a night.