"I'm telling you, those ninja are snooping around our territory!" Aria complains

"Princess we'd know if someone is snooping around our territory" Overlord tells her

"But dad" Aria looks at him "they're not in the Monestary with Wu"

"Your father's right Ari, we'd know if someone was there" Layla smiles and rubs Aria's head "Gorgias will tell us right away"

"But what if he was defeated by them" Aria argues

"Nonsense" Overlord laughs "Gorgias is our most powerful ally"

"No, the beasts are" Aria corrects

"The beasts are only beasts" Overlord waves his hand

"Mama" Aria turns to her mother "I'm telling you"

"Oh sweetheart I know you're worried" Layla hugs her daughter "but everything is fine" she puts her hand on Aria's cheek "I'm not going anywhere, you have won"

Layla kisses Aria's forehead before leaving with the Overlord.

"...I just know they're there" Aria mutters

"Princess" Kaname approaches her "would you like the knights to search the Shadowlands for the ninja?"

"You can't" Aria sighs "you're needed here to control the city, I fear the ordinary citizens are going to get themselves hurt by picking fights with the wrong beings"

Aria's eyes glow purple and she puts her hand on her head in pain.

"Your highness" Kaname reaches out to her worried

Aria puts her hand out stopping him "I'm fine, please have the knights and the stone army dispersed among the city at every moment, we must keep vigilant"

"Yes" Kaname bows before leaving

Aria stands up and makes her way to the underground passage. She follows through the tunnels until she reaches The Core, which was now dark purple. Aria walks towards it and stares at it, she saw her own reflection glaring at her.

"Stop calling me here" Aria says to the core "I won't release you"

"You're making a mistake" her reflection says "this realm was meant to be ruled by light, the darkness simply exists because Svern came here, you do not belong"

"Yeah when you say that in my voice it's a bit weird" Aria crosses her arms

Aria's reflection suddently changes into the first Spinjitzu Master.

"Is this better?" It asks

"No!" Aria shouts frustrated

"I can only make a reflection of those who have gazed into the core" It tells her "You're not giving me much options Young Lord, would you rather me not have take the form of my creator?"

"No" Aria shivers "it's creepy to look at a dead man"

The reflection changes once again and Aria took a step back when she came face to face with the image of Lloyd.

"How about now?" It asks sounding exactly like Lloyd

"I-" Aria turns around "I'm done here"

"Young Lord please!"

Aria rushes out of the chamber and makes her way back up to the castle.

"How dare it mock me" Aria grumbles "I'm it's master now"

Aria enters her room and sits on her bed. She sighs before laying down and turning on her side. Beside her bed sat a photo frame of her and Lloyd. Aria quickly reached over and slammed it face down.

---

"How much longer?" Jay whines "I can't take it much longer"

"Jay, we've been on the road for 4 hours" Ari looks at him "toughen up"

"But it's so far" Jay whines again

"So where are we heading now?" Lloyd asks

"To the City of the Rats" Ari replies

"Rats!" All the ninja stop and look at her

"Yes" Ari confirms "the city used to be beautiful but now it's overrun by Rats and the beast guarding the gem of fire is a Hydra"

"A hydra?" Kai questions

"A Hydra is a mythic beast said to be a large serpent with three heads, if one was to be chopped off 2 more will grow in place" Zane explains

"B-but it's just a mythic beast" Cole says "Right? Meaning it's not real?"

"...Aria's knights are Vampires and you're asking if a Hydra is fake?" Ari asks him "I just told you it was guarding the gem, so of course it's real"

"That doesn't matter, we'll get the gem either way" Lloyd says "whatever it takes, so let's go"

"Right" Ari smiles

Ari starts walking again with Lloyd following her. The other ninja look at each other, take a frightful gulp, then follow as well.