The Gap Sensor blared in the dead of night. The rangers awoke with a start, unused to having to deal with Nighlock attacks this late.

Emily rubbed her eyes groggily and yawned as she yanked herself out of bed. "Another Nighlock attack?"

Mike groaned and rolled out of bed still half asleep. "Don't those guys ever take a break?"

Kevin jumped out of bed, looking bright and chipper and smacked Mike on the upside of the head. "Evil doesn't take naps. Now come on!" Without another word he grabbed Mike by the ear and dragged him out of the room.

Emily tried to shake Mia awake gently, in order to avoid angering the older ranger. She could be moody when she was tired. "Come on Mia. You've had more than enough beauty sleep. We have to go."

Jayden charged into the infirmary where the four other rangers had passed out after a hard day of work the day before. Four beds… or cots rather were lined up neatly in a little row. Jayden was in a panic, his hair still adorably rumpled. Emily gave a terrified squeak and then paused for a moment to appreciate how cute he was when he wasn't trying to look stern and professional.

"I'm… trying… Mia needs to wake up." Emily managed to stutter out as an explanation. Jayden nodded, still understanding what she meant.

"I'll wake her. You just get going."

"But… Antonio?"

Jayden grinned. "I already called him. He didn't sound too happy, but he's on the way."

Emily smiled. She could imagine the other ranger's dismay at being woken up to the sound of Jayden's voice ordering him to go fight Nighlock monsters. It wasn't as if he had a right to complain. Antonio had chosen this lifestyle for himself. The other rangers were forced to take on this responsibility for their family. Some more unexpectedly than others…

Jayden was looking at Emily feeling confused that Emily wasn't leaving yet. With a jolt Emily realized that she should probably be running after the others. Without another word, Emily blushed a deep shade of red and darted out of the door.

Jayden caught up to the others easily. With the exception of Kevin, no one was really feeling all that motivated to get to wherever they needed to be quickly. After all, it was the middle of the night. How much damage could a Nighlock cause while everyone was asleep? Dragging a cranky Mia behind him, Jayden caught a glimpse of Emily's beautiful blonde hair strewing out behind her as she ran. Somehow that motivated him to run a little bit faster.

Not long after Jayden and Mia arrived, the rangers saw a flash of gold nearly collide with the group. The new ranger had already morphed, most likely because he didn't want the other rangers (namely Emily) to see how disheveled he looked. His teammates quickly followed suit as they approached a quiet little town that had set of the alarm.

The rangers waited as they entered the town to listen for the sound of screaming, or people running away in fear, but they saw nothing. They all exchanged a look of confusion. Where was the Nighlock? And how would they see it? Everything was completely black. Black. Black. It was as if night had become ravenous and devoured the sun.

There was a flash of light, and the area where the rangers were standing in became illuminated. But they could still not see anything but each other. They could not see the Nighlock.

Out of nowhere it appeared, slashing and kicking at them, seeming to come from all sides. The rangers tried to fight back, but they could only see the outline of its shape in the blackness. The monster seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, coming at them from all different angles. The samurais were powerless. They could not fight back.

Suddenly a voice that sounded distinctively female broke through the silence of the attacks. "You can't see me."

In frustration Jayden slashed at where he heard the voice coming from. His blade only met air.

"But I can see you." The voice called from the other side of him. Jayden slashed again looking wildly about. The other rangers had formed a circle around him, keeping their blades steady. If the creature appeared by them, they would be ready, no matter where it appeared. They hoped.

"Who are you? Where are you?" Jayden growled into the thin air. The girlish voice giggled and then began to speak in a singsong voice.

"I am everywhere. I am nowhere. You can't defeat me. You would all be dead if I wanted you to be. But I wouldn't like that. I would like to have a little fun with you." The voice paused waiting for Jayden's response. He and the other rangers remained unfazed.

"Who are you?" He repeated. There was a long pause.

"I am the Night Mare. I make your worst dreams come to life." There was a whoosh by Mia. She swung at the empty air trying to apprehend her attacker. She was unsuccessful. "Like you my dear. You try so heard to please everyone. But who would find you pleasing? You are too cold. Too detached. Why… you're no better than –

"SHUT UP!" Mia shouted as she swung at the thin air. She slashed again and again and then stopped, panting deeply, exhausted from all of her efforts. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped to the ground.

"MIA!" Kevin shouted. He tried to race over to her and long thin arms extended from the darkness and embraced him. The other rangers raced to him slashing at the arms that held him but their weapons left no marks. The voice whispered in his ear.

"And you." It laughed. "You want to be an Olympic swimmer? Please. Why haven't you told your coach of your recurring dream? The one where you drown slowly and painfully."

Kevin stopped struggling and the fight went out of him. His eyes widened in shock. "You know about that?"

"I know about everything." The voice responded. And then Kevin collapsed.

Antonio gasped. "Kevin mi amigo! Estas bien?" Antonio hardly had taken three steps when he froze.

"You don't even deserve to be here, do you?" The monster asked him. For once, Antonio had nothing to say. "You know you're not good enough to be here? You'll mess something up. The team will collapse. And it will be all your fault.

"Antonio she's lying." Emily piped up. But it was too late. Antonio was already sinking to the floor eyes clenched shut in pain.

And then the monster was on Emily but she was ready for it. Without a word she slashed at the bolt of darkness that flew towards her. There was the shuddering impact, as blade made contact with skin but the monster did not cry out in pain. It didn't seem to feel a thing. The beast chuckled.

"Pathetic. The little baby samurai. I can see why they call you that. You're too nice Emily. Someone will take advantage of you. Serena would be very disappointed." Underneath her helmet, ears started welling up in Emily's eyes. She was grateful that the others couldn't see. Sensing weakness the monster struck again. "What's the matter? Did I hurt your feelings? Whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me?" The Nighlock giggled. "She's dying you know. Serena. She's slipping off to a world where even you can't save her. The afterlife. Do you want to know how it feels to die Emily?" As a response, Emily slumped and slid to the ground.

"EMILY! NO!" Mike called out in a voice thick with anguish. He tried to race towards her but when he was just a few feet away he fell to his knees.

"You wouldn't want anything happening to this one, would you Michael? She doesn't love you, you know. Maybe if you were stronger. Maybe if you were smarter. Maybe if you were more like your leader." Jayden could imagine the beast smirking at him. "Wouldn't you like that Mikey? To have so much power. To be as strong as Jayden."

Mike opened his mouth to reply but his eyes rolled back in his head and he too collapsed. Now only Jayden was left. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he sensed an unfamiliar presence right behind him. Now was his chance. He turned around to finish the Nighlock once and for all and found himself staring into eyes so black that they seemed to have no bottom. And Jayden felt himself falling… falling… falling…

Just as he hit the ground, Jayden heard five little words that caused every nightmare he ever had to pale in comparison.

"I know your secret Jayden."