"Watch those tendrils!", Wildwing called out.

The ducks had been out that evening when these strange shadow tendrils erupted from the ground and started constricting and smashing anything around.

"This has got Malevolence all over it!", Mallory scorned as she cleaved a couple tendrils to ribbons with Duke alongside her.

And then that was when the tendrils retreated into the ground and faded.

"That's the third time tonight.", Nosedive yawned, "How are we supposed to get any sleep?"

Canard was looking especially irritated.

"I'm with you Dive. I can't operate my aura abilities if I'm not rested."

Wildwing led the ducks back to the Migrator and he was feeling sleep deprived too.

"Let's just hope this time those things stay down."

As the Migrator drove away, Wrath observed from a nearby ledge overlooking the street.

"Well that could've gone better.", he muttered, "But this was a mere demonstration. Those feathered pests have no idea what is in the works."

He turned to see a shadowy portal open and after going through it he found himself at the steps of Malevolence's castle in Nether Void. The doors opened, but Wrath phased into a sphere of dark light and flew through the dark ruined halls and crumbling floors til he reached the center where Malevolence was sitting on what would be the throne of the castle if not counting the tarnished frame and fierce design. Terror and Despair were on opposite sides of her and she smiled as Wrath materialized in front of her on his knees.

"Well played Wrath. Are the ducks prepared for our special visitor?"

Wrath smiled.

"They'll fall asleep in no time."

Malevolence waved her hand in the air and a wisp of smoke formed where Wrath was standing. Wrath moved aside and was soon joined by Terror and Demise.

"Begin.", Malevolence said firmly.

Wrath, Terror and Demise started chanting in some weird tongue as the wisp grew and shifted into a little imp made of smoke that looked Malevolence in the face and smirked wickedly.

"My little minion wants to feed.", Malevolence said smiling the same way the imp was, "And soon it will feed to it's black heart's content."

/

Nosedive washed his face with cold water before he observed his face in the mirror.

"Man look at these bags under my eyes.", he griped, "It'll take an entire week of beauty sleep to get rid of these."

Wildwing finished brushing his teeth(I have no idea how that's possible so don't ask) and after rinsing, he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Hey, we clobbered three outbreaks of dark invaders in one night. That's more than deserving of sleep."

Morpha extended a tendril and tapped Wildwing on the shoulder and then to a glass. Nosedive got the message and filled the glass with water and after handing it to Morpha, it extended a tendril and drained the water in the glass til the glass was dry. As they got into their room, something caught their ears.

"What is that?", Wildwing asked.

Nosedive tensed and then yawned.

"Whatever is playing that music sure knows...how to..."

Wildwing turned to see Nosedive and Morpha both passed out on the floor.

"That's weird.", Wildwing thought, "Where's that music coming from?"

The soothing music flowed around the entire base. No matter where Wildwing went, he heard it. As he got to the main room, he noticed Grin in his meditative pose and yet snoring. Wildwing came over and snapped his fingers in Grin's face a couple times, but Grin kept sleeping. Wildwing started getting a little bit tense.

"Okay, this is weird."

He went all over the base, but everyone he found was asleep. Mallory was passed out in the dojo, Duke was on the couch, Tanya in her room, and Wildwing couldn't find Canard anywhere. He was about to use his communicator, when Canard stumbled from a nearby room looking drowsy.

"Canard?", Wildwing asked as he came over and helped keep Canard on his feet.

"Thanks Wing.", Canard said as if he was about to drift off, "There's something evil stirring this..."

He slumped and was sleeping soundly as Wildwing softly put him down.

"Everyone in the base is asleep.", he pondered, "But how?"

He felt his eyelids getting heavy, but he fought it. He had just gotten a few steps ahead when something in the music got his interest. It sounded like giggles. Demonic giggles. He swung around fast to see a floating transparent imp carrying a flute and clearly enjoying itself. It then stopped giggling and put the flute to it's lips and began playing. The music flowed through the air and Wildwing couldn't help but yawn. He then shook his head and tried looking awake. He aimed his gauntlet at the thing and fired. The puck went right through it and it paused it's playing only to stick it's tongue out. Wildwing was clearly getting annoyed.

"Who sent you here?", he said harshly.

The imp simply laughed and flew off down the hall playing all the way. Wildwing bolted after it.

/

Wildwing came into the kitchen where something else caught his eyes. It looked like a phantom of Nosedive in a chef's hat and apron.

"And finally I'll whip up some fine homemade bread."

Wildwing heard applause, but there was nobody around. He came over with Nosedive taking no notice.

"Dive, something is going on here."

He put his hand on his brother's shoulder only to see it go through like it wasn't there.

"Okay, this is getting freaky.", he said trying to sound brave, but there was a hint of insecurity, "This is not the baby bro I know."

"Impressive isn't it?"

Wildwing turned to see Malevolence materialize nearby hovering and the imp was floating beside her.

"Malevolence.", Wildwing sneered.

"Oh, nice sneer.", Malevolence purred looking content, "You really don't like me don't you?"

"What did you do?", Wildwing demanded, "And what is that?"

Malevolence's smile got bigger and more frightening.

"It's called a dream sprite.", she answered, "It wonders the darkness every night on many worlds bringing dreams into the waking world of the victims it puts to sleep with it's magical instrument."

The dream sprite began playing and Malevolence didn't look affected at all.

"Beautiful isn't it? Seems music really does sooth the savage beast."

Wildwing was beyond listening.
"I'm not letting my team stay asleep."

Malevolence raised an eyebrow.

"And how are you going to wake them up? Why fight it when you can get your rest?"

Wildwing tried shaking off the music's tune, but the sound rang in his head and his eyes got heavier.

"That's it.", Malevolence purred, "Embrace your fate, and let it-"

A loud alarm clock rang and the dream sprite shook violently and looked like it was in pain. Wildwing smiled.

"So not a fan of alarms eh?", he asked more awake than he was.

"Clever.", Malevolence said looking disappointed, "But don't celebrate just yet. I still have a few acts of deceit to put you through."

Malevolence vanished and the dream sprite took off. Wildwing turned to see an alarm clock on the counter near the stove and he got an idea.

/

With his secret weapon in position, Wildwing turned to look for the sprite only to yawn.

"I better get this done fast.", he thought to himself.

He overheard something that gave him a clue.

"Is that all you got McMallard?!"

Wildwing turned to see Mallory doing the routine of the Puckworld special forces with what looked like a general giving orders and clearly not looking pleased at what was going on in front of him. Wildwing was about to leave when something weird happened. The general vanished and Mallory looked his way with darkness covering her eyes.

"Don't think you can get away that easily traitor!"

Wildwing barely dodged Mallory as she tried to tackle him and he bolted only to see in the hall was Duke wearing the same eyes and looking fiercely determined.

"Nobody outfoxes Duke L'Orange!"

Wildwing was getting more than a little freaked out.

"Now what?"

He turned and bolted down the hall to find himself in the main room and the sprite was playing a different tune. This one sounded ominous like there was danger about to spring out any moment. And Wildwing had clearly had enough.

"Now you're using dreams against me? What is that supposed to do?"

By now Duke and Mallory had gotten to him and were about to attack. Wildwing managed to avoid them, but as he tried to grab Duke, his hand went through Duke's arm.

"Huh? How did-", he wondered and then snapped his fingers, "Of course. Dreams can't hurt you no matter how scary they can be."

He faced the sprite who was looking pretty freaked out as the drake approached it.

"You don't like it when people aren't afraid of you are you?", he asked smiling as the sprite paused playing and was looking more desperate, "You think a few illusions can fool me? I've been going through this without my mask and you still can't beat me."

He raised his voice hoping Malevolence would hear.

"Is this the best you can throw at me?"

As if to answer him, the shadowy tendrils from earlier that night sprang up from the ground and started lashing towards him.

"I had to ask.", he grumbled.

He tried avoiding only for one to trip him up and several more wrapped around his body constricting his movements and held him in place as the dream sprite looked less frightened and started playing again. Wildwing tried fighting, but his eyes felt like they would close at any moment.

"Can't...fall...asleep."

Even when his eyes closed, Wildwing tried fighting and something happened. A flash of light went off scattering the tendrils and the dream sprite was tossed in the air before the opal that Wildwing held on to for so long shone like a star as it's blue band dispersed revealing even more light.

/

The dream sprite screamed as it and the darkness dispersed and the light died down. Wildwing breathed heavily as he noticed his enchantium pendant materialize around his neck and now he had three gems and the new one caught his eye.

"So the opal came to life when I didn't give up hope.", he chuckled lightly to himself, "Hmm, Hope. It's got a nice ring to it."

He didn't have time to celebrate cause Malevolence came into being and seeing the drake in his weak state, she raised her hand to invoke dark flames.

"You may have bested my shadows duck, but you're still weak from using your new spell and you're completely defenseless against me."

Wildwing tensed. Malevolence was right cause he was in no position to fight, but before Malevolence could do anything, Wildwing felt the floor underneath him give way and he landed in a comfy lounge chair as the other ducks came out looking pretty miffed.

"Here's the thing Malevolence.", Canard said cracking his knuckles, "You can mess with our dreams, but when you mess with our friend, that's when we get mad."

"And not to mention all that beauty sleep has left us rested and ready to kick your shadow infested butt.", Nosedive said equally as determined.

Malevolence looked around and then vanished away.

"Celebrate this hallow victory ducks. I'll be back."

Canard came over and helped Wildwing up.

"You okay buddy?"

Wildwing held his pendent up and smiled.

"Oh yeah, I'm good."

The other ducks noticed that Wildwing's pendant now had three like the rest of them did.

"So what's the opal for?", Duke asked.

"It's Hope.", Wildwing answered, "I refused to give in and when Malevolence had me, I still wouldn't give in. Guess this proved that I'm worthy of it huh?"

"I'd say so.", Canard said as he looked at the alarm clock Wildwing had with him, "Whoa, it's almost five in the morning."

He looked to Wildwing who had finally fallen asleep and rolled his eyes smiling.

"He takes on Darkness Incarnate all night and now he's sleeping like a baby. Grin, can you carry him to bed?"

Grin came forward.

"Sleep is the state in which our minds are free to roam whatever may come to our mind's eye.", he said sagely as he took Wildwing into his large arms.

The other ducks went to their own rooms while Canard and Nosedive followed Grin til Grin put Wildwing on his bed before leaving himself.

"Thanks for the hand Grinster.", Nosedive said as Grin passed.

Grin gave a smile and headed towards his own room and Canard put a hand on Nosedive's shoulder.

"Get some rest kid. You got combat training in a few hours."

Canard went off leaving Nosedive to get to his own bed and see Morpha hadn't stirred at all.

"Has the dog been asleep this whole episode?", he asked(breaking the fourth wall as usual).

He climbed into bed and after getting comfortable, he slipped off to bed.

/

A few hours later, the alarms went off and the ducks got up for the day. Wildwing was still a little bushed, so the others decided to let him sleep in.

"Are you sure he's not feeling okay?", Phil asked.

Phil had come down with his latest scheme and had been taken aback by what he had found out.

"He's been up all night Phil.", Duke said firmly, "We owe him that much to let him get some down time."

Phil sighed.

"Okay, but when he wakes up, I want to be the first to know."

Phil left and Canard and Nosedive continued practicing.

"Move your feet.", Canard instructed, "Eyes up."

Nosedive had managed to trip Canard only for Canard to flip up again. Except this time, Nosedive ducked and tripped Canard again. When Canard rolled, Nosedive flipped over him only to be met with Canard's foot and knock the wind out of him.

"Word of advice: don't try to show off.", Canard told him.

Nosedive regained his pose and they went again. After a couple hours, they took a break.

"Well, you did much better today than you did last time.", Canard commented as he rubbed his shoulder, "Almost had me that time."

Nosedive smiled.

"I learn from the best."

Canard nodded.

"Yeah. You're a fast learner, I'll give you that."

They left and they noticed Wildwing wide awake and entering the rec room.

"Good morning everyone.", he said warmly.

"Good to see you on your feet big bro.", Nosedive said cheerfully.

Wildwing looked at Canard with a raised eyebrow.

"How's his training going?"

"He's getting there.", Canard reported, "Still have a ways to go, but he's on the right track."

Mallory came over.

"I want to see how far. I bet I can take him."

Canard looked her way.

"Are you sure? He's not that weak now."

Nosedive smiled.

"Bring it on girly-girl."

Mallory didn't take that lightly and chased him to the dojo. Wildwing couldn't help but laugh.

"That's my bro."

"You said it.", Canard agreed.

Tanya went back to her lab to do some science, Duke was cuddled with a good book and Grin was meditating as usual. Yep, it was a great way to start the morning.