ooc → powers & abilities
Mikale is a Game of Fate character and therefore uses the same brand of magic as all other characters from the "series". He is one of the rare cases of a boy having both empathy and magical potential, though he is not exceptionally powerful. That doesn't mean he doesn't have any sort of talent.
Growing up, Mikale was very survival-orientated. He isn't very good with people's feelings and has a hard time comprehending them. His top concern is himself and Samantha-- and eventually, Kuroneko Satou. This results in Mikale having very low leveled empathy and, as a further result, he is not able to summon large quantities of magic at one time. What this means is that Mikale cannot perform high level magic on the spot.
However, he is gifted with above average magical potential. To get around his problem Mikale puts his particular talent to use. He is very good at storing magical power in objects; particularly, in bullets. For a normal magic user this process usually results in a explosive device that is out of their control but Mikale's talent is for making magical objects he can control. So he pre-loads bullets with magic ahead of time and then shoots them when necessary.
Therefore, Mikale's fighting style puts a lot of focus on strength and accuracy. He is generally a ranged fighter and can't count on magic in close combat. When using magic "on the spot" it is usually to enhance his speed or give him a temporary boost in accuracy.
Now, to get specific~.
● Empathy: Mikale's empathy is very low-leveled. He can peer into the feelings of those close to him but it takes a lot of effort. It's not something he can typically use on a complete stranger.
● Magical Capacity: His capacity for magic is above average. However, his lack of empathy makes it nearly impossible for Mikale to reach that full capacity in battle. If he sits down and focuses then he can reach full capacity and store the magic in objects.
● Storing Magic: A particular talent of Mikale's is his ability to store magic and spells in objects, then use them later. For most magic users this just makes explosive items that are dangerous, but Mikale can control when his objects release their power. He can also handle unstable objects made by other magic users. Mikale uses this ability to store spells in bullets that he then loads into guns.
● Shadow Manipulation: Mikale does not normally use magic "on the spot" but instead chooses to make spells in advance. However, he is known to manipulate shadows-- to the point that it is the ability referenced in his title, Shadow Mage. Mikale usually uses low-leveled spells and just twists their use to be scaring and psyche out his opponents. The shadows he manipulates become razor sharp and dangerous to touch, and he uses them to cut off escape routes or trap targets.
● Shadow Teleportation: He also uses shadows to transport himself. Mikale can "teleport" anywhere as long as it has a shadow at that moment. Timing is very important or he'll get stuck.
● Firearms: In particular, Mikale is skilled with handguns. He very rarely uses his magic for offensive purposes if he can get away with using un-magicked bullets first. His preference is motivated by the fact that Mikale really never wanted magic to hurt people. The focus of his magic is finding Samantha and he prefers to focus his abilities on that goal.