"This world may or may not have a Dream Lord."
Peter halted his steps and said to Loki, "A man must change or perish; that is his choice. The Dream Master knows this well."
"Some believe that all creatures capable of dreaming enter a realm called the Dreaming when they sleep. There, Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, shapes their deepest fears and fantasies."
In his past life, Peter had learned about Morpheus, the Dream Lord from DC Comics.
The origins of this figure lay in the DC Universe, which featured an ancient, mysterious, and immortal family—the Endless.
They existed before all life in the universe and would continue to exist as long as life endured.
The seven members of the Endless embodied Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium.
Ranked third among them was Dream, also known as Morpheus.
He was born the moment the first living being in the universe dreamed.
Curiously, his form differed across species.
To humans, he appeared in a human form, while to cats, he appeared as a cat.
"Morpheus?"
Loki repeated the name, lost in thought.
"Father, is he powerful?"
After a moment, Loki looked up and asked.
"I don't know. Why? Do you want me to fight him?"
Peter eyed the mischievous child with suspicion.
Knowing Loki's unpredictable nature, he wouldn't put it past him.
"No, of course not, Father! I would never think that way. I would only protect you," Loki said, his tone full of conviction. Then he asked, "Father, can you tell me more about the Dream Lord?"
Peter glanced down at Loki's seemingly innocent expression and nodded. "Of course. According to legend, he possesses three powerful artifacts: the Pouch of Sand, the Helm of Dreams, and the Moonstone Ruby."
"What are they, Father?"
"The Pouch of Sand is said to control sleep, allowing one to induce deep slumber or awaken others at will," Peter explained. "The Helm of Dreams lets its wearer enter dreams or manipulate the dreams of others. Lastly, the Moonstone Ruby is a gem of immense power, with mysterious abilities. Among the three, it is the most enigmatic."
Pausing briefly, Peter added, "But this is just a legend. Whether it's true or not is uncertain."
"I understand, Father," Loki said, his eyes glinting with a spark of intrigue.
If the Dream Lord truly possessed these incredible artifacts, perhaps he could find a way to take them.
According to his father, this Morpheus was undoubtedly strong.
After all, he was a god—how could he be weak?
In a direct confrontation, Loki knew he had no chance of winning.
But if he set a trap—using deception or trickery—he might be able to subdue the Dream Lord and claim his artifacts.
Then he could present all three treasures to his father.
With that thought, Loki stroked his chin, his mind working furiously.
Perhaps he could enlist John and Star-Lord to increase his chances of success.
After all, his own strength was limited, and taking on a god alone would be difficult.
But how could he convince them?
Once again, Loki fell into deep thought.
Nightfall
At Podrick Farm, Peter sat at his desk, flipping through a thick file.
These court documents had been procured with Chandler's help.
Though he normally had little interest in his neighbors' affairs, the matter now involved Loki, forcing him to pay attention.
As he sifted through the hefty stack of photocopies, he quickly found the file he was looking for.
According to the records, Sarah Connor's parents had been wealthy and had left a will. Upon their passing, Sarah was to inherit their estate.
However, since Sarah was in a coma, her uncle had taken control of the funds.
As long as she remained unconscious, he would continue managing the inheritance.
Exhaling slowly, Peter set down the file and stood up, his gaze shifting to the window.
The lights in the neighboring house were still on.
With his X-ray vision, Peter saw Mac entering his niece's room, retrieving medication from a cabinet, and forcing it into her mouth.
Mac's face bore an expression of impatience, clearly lacking any real concern for his niece.
Peter narrowed his eyes slightly.
Could Mac be the black-robed figure Loki had mentioned in his dream?
If this was the girl's dream, then it was highly likely she had transformed her terrifying uncle into a villainous figure.
After organizing the court documents, Peter made his way to Loki's room.
When he opened the door, he was met with an unexpected sight—Loki was drinking coffee.
"No, no, Loki! You can't drink coffee!"
Peter strode over and, before Loki could react, snatched the cup from his hands.
"At your age, this is not suitable for you."
Loki explained, "I was just testing whether caffeine would affect my ability to fall asleep."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "And do you feel like sleeping now?"
"Not really. Maybe we could chat for a while, Father."
Loki, it seemed, was more interested in conversation than sleep.
Peter looked at him and nodded. "Of course."
As he spoke, he got up to close the door.
With a soft creak, the door was gently shut, only to be pushed open again. A figure approached him.
To Loki's surprise, it wasn't Peter who walked in—it was Sarah.
"I guess… I must have fallen asleep again."
Loki got up from the bed, looking at the girl approaching him. "How did you enter my dream?"
"That's a long story. I seem to have a special ability when it comes to dreams, but it's unreliable. One day, I just ended up in your dream. But I knew when you and your father came to see me."
Loki was surprised. "You could sense that?"
"Yes. It's like a long, dark tunnel—sometimes I can hear things, sometimes I can't. I've tried to communicate, but you have no idea what that feels like."
Loki nodded, then asked, "Who was that black-robed figure chasing you?"
At his words, Sarah immediately recoiled in panic.
"No! We can't talk about him—he'll hear us."
Loki stepped forward, following her retreating figure. "That's your uncle, isn't it? Why are you so afraid of him? What did he do to you?"
Sarah trembled, her voice unsteady. "I—I don't know. I just remember overhearing the doctors say that I would wake up. But every time I was about to wake up, he would do something to me… and then I'd fall back into the darkness."
"It's like… like sinking into the ocean. I almost woke up once—the time you and your father visited me."
"Hey, listen to me, Sarah," Loki said, his tone light, trying to calm her. He gestured downward with his hands. "You have an incredible ability in dreams, don't you?"
"Yes… yes, I've had it since I was a child. I can enter other people's dreams and wield immense power here. But I can't defeat him!"
Sarah glanced around nervously, her voice shaking. "H-he's coming. I have to leave—I need to go!"
From outside, a chilling roar echoed through the night.
"Listen, Sarah," Loki said. "He's only powerful because you fear him. In the dream world, your fear makes him stronger. But if you stop being afraid, you can easily defeat him."
"You need to let go of that fear."
"I… I can't!" Sarah cried out helplessly.
"If you can't do it alone, I can help you."
Loki stepped closer, speaking in a low, persuasive tone. "Give me your ability, and I'll help you defeat him. I'll free you from his torment and wake you up—you can live your life again."
Sarah's eyes widened. "How… how do I give you my ability? I've never done it before."
A small smile played at Loki's lips. "This is your dream. Here, you have almost unlimited power—like a dreamweaver with extraordinary talent. If you're willing, you can do it."
Loki coaxed her, guiding her to transfer her dream-controlling power to him.
As the black-robed man's furious roars grew closer, Sarah had no choice but to agree to try.
Meanwhile, in the real world—
Peter frowned as he watched Loki suddenly fall into a deep sleep.
Glancing at the house next door, he saw someone administering medication to a girl.
Recalling what Loki had said about the black-robed figure attacking Sarah in the dream world, Peter activated his super speed and in an instant, appeared inside Mike's house.
Although he couldn't help Loki fight in the dream, he could take action in the real world.
With a bang, Peter grabbed Mike's hand just as he was about to give his niece the medicine.
Startled by Peter's sudden arrival, Mike stared at him in shock. "P-Padric Mr. Patrick?"
Peter snatched the vial from Mike's hand and, with a precise kick, sent him crashing to the ground.
Back in the dream world—
Sarah successfully transferred her power to Loki.
Unfortunately, her fear of her uncle still remained.
Thud!
The black-robed man seized Loki and slammed him into the ground.
As he prepared to strike again, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.
Turning around, Loki's eyes widened in shock—Peter had appeared.
"Dad?!"
The moment of confusion barely passed before Peter blurred forward in a flash, seizing the black-robed figure by the throat and effortlessly hurling him against the wall.
Boom!
The wall shattered instantly.