You are capable of learning how your power works (and only your power unless you possess some kind of power copying). By learning how your power works you are permanently capable of using them even if you're disconnected from your Shard. This would be as if you possessed Shardless. Even after mastering your power, your Shard continues to help you by revealing new and creative ways to improve and use your power that you normally wouldn’t think of, and by boosting your power when you confront enemies, giving you a combat advantage.