"Soldeen you were truly worthless" the sorcerer looks at the unconscious monster fish "I'll have to properly punish you later for her highness"

Lloyd slowly stood up gripping his sword.

"The Sorcerer Gorgias is protected by a magical barrier" Ari tells the ninja "and the only way to defeat him is by making him shed a single drop of blood"

"Oh yeah, that should be easy with a barrier around him" Kai says sarcastically

"Now about you pests" Gorgias turns to the ninja "I was messaged by her highness Lord Aria that some intruders were in my territory but I didn't think you were actually stupid enough to enter"

"Well I'd say we're more brave then stupid" Jay replies

"Some of us" Ari comments

"pft" Kai hides a laugh and Jay glares at him "sorry sorry" Kai chuckles "she's definitely an Aria"

"Ari, is there a chance that if you showed your face and acted as our Aria, he would back off?" Zane asks

"That would be risky" Ari answers "if he somehow escaped and reported back to Aria that would expose my existence in her world and will have disasterous consequences, I can only act as your guide and not interfere with anything"

Lloyd rushes forward and swings his sword at the sorcerer.

"aw how cute" Gorgias chuckles

Lloyd hits the barrier and is sent back with force.

"Ah!" Lloyd hits the rocks

"Lloyd!" the ninja shout

The Ninja rush forward and try each of their attacks. Kai threw a fireball only for it to be deflected back at him, which he had to dodge. Zane tried to freeze him but it froze around the barrier, then shattered, sending the ice shards back at him, knocking him into the water.

Cole tried to throw earth at him but he couldn't find a spot of earth before being hit back into the water by the sorcerer's magic attack. Lastly, Jay tried to hit him with lightning, but the barrier absorbed it and transferred it into the water, shocking all ninja who were in it.

"hahahaha" Gorgias laughs "you all are too funny, here I thought you were some top class fighters, you're nothing but a bunch of monkey's"

"I think this is the first I've been compared to a money" Jay whines from the ground

The ninja all get up and group together.

"I think I've noticed something" Lloyd tells them "when the sorcerer hit cole with his attack he had to drop his barrier for the brief time he casted it, that's out opening"

"Yeah but it's like 2 seconds" Kai says

"2.285 seconds" Zane corrects

"...if we're being accurate" Kai sighs

"I want you all to charge at him, he's gotta use a spell on one of you, I'll use that opening" Lloyd directs

"got it" the ninja agree

With that the ninja all charge at the sorcerer.

"Ah, trying another tactic" Gorgias smirks "well too bad, that won't work"

Gorgias raises his hand and the barrier opened as his spell went off. Lloyd took the chance to throw his sword, the sword neared the sorcerer and Gorgias quickly pulled his hand down catching the sword as his spell hit the ninja sending them back with painful force.

"Y-you, how dare you!" Gorgias shouts

"Did I get him?" Lloyd asks rushing to the ninja who were getting up

"Uh.. no" Kai says

"Now you've really upset me!" Gorgias raises his arm up "I was thinking of letting you live.. but now.. their's no way!"

"guys watch out!" Ari shouts from the shore

The ninja look scared as the spell went off, a dagger flew into the opening and hit Gorgias's hand. The sorcerer screamed as he was covered in black magic, his form twisted and changed until he was transformed into a dead tree.

All around them magic surged and the darkness was slowly lifted, transforming the lake into a beautiful grassy field with flowers. All of the fish in the lake turned into people, as well as Soldeen. The human shaped rock in the center of the Lake cracked and turned into a beautiful women.

Soldeen and the women ran to each other and hugged. The people all around also hugged each other, families were reunited and many cried.

"Woah" the ninja look around

Ari approached the ninja looking shocked "they're free.. after years of the Lake of Tears being stained in darkness.. it's free.. but why?"

"It's beautiful" Jay says tearing up "..I think I'm gonna cry"

"Don't get your snot all over me" Cole says stepping away from him

Soldeen and the women approach the ninja.

"I am Dean, the tribe leader of these people" Soldeen reintroduces himself "and this is my wife Sora, we can't thank you enough for freeing us" he holds out the Gem of Water to Lloyd "But I believe you want this?"

"Yes" Lloyd takes it from him "thank you"

"I believe this is also yours" Sora holds out a jeweled dagger

"huh.. is that ours?" Kai asks

"Hm?" Ari looks at it "hey.. I have a dagger like that back at home"

"It's mine" Lloyd says taking it "thank you"

The ninja and Ari look at him questioningly before turning back to the two leaders.

"Of course" Sora smiles "you have all helped us greatly, feel free to rest here before moving on"

"And if their's anything else you need please tell us" Dean adds happily

"Of course" Lloyd smiles "thank you"

The ninja help the people of Dore gather supplies for dinner as Lloyd sits on a rock staring at his jeweled dagger that he used to defeat the sorcerer.

"that dagger is special to you yes?"

Lloyd looks up to see Sora.

"yeah.." Lloyd replies looking back down at it

"I can tell" Sora smiles "It belongs to your beloved doesn't it?"

"...she was my girlfriend" Lloyd tells her "she gave me this one day before I departed on a dangerous journey.. now we're separated"

"I see" Sora says gently "I can tell it holds a lot of love though, the people of Dore posses strange powers, mine is the ability to detect objects and their feelings. This dagger holds love and hope.. hope that you use it to protect yourself, hope that you are safe"

Lloyd stares down at the dagger, Sora smiles and walks away.

Lloyd holds the dagger against his chest "I'll save you, Aria"