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More from Nemui.
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“You are unworthy.” the swamp rumbled. It seemed to be... alive, clutching Nemui unrelentingly within its’ inky depths.
Thick, suffocating smog that wafted through the stagnant air, the scent of rot filling Nemui’s senses, causing her to lightly gag.
Her ears flicked back at the voice, tears stinging her eyes as she glanced around.
“So...this is what my nightmare looks like…?” she asked the air, struggling to find footing on the endlessly shifting, muddy lake bed.
She felt a wave of the rotten water batter her and she stumbled, soaring beneath the surface of the swamp water and squeezing her eyes shut.
She felt tendrils of shadow slink around her body, tugging her further and further beneath.
Normally, Nemui had no need to breathe, however in this nightmare she was suffocating, trying to breathe in, only to swallow mouthfuls of filth.
She clawed the tendrils around her, eyes seeking the surface as she thrashed and struggled, the living swamp laughing at her attempts.
“You cannot escape your own mind, Dreamwalker.” it taunted, infuriating the bear. She thrashed harder, beginning to let out growls and
snarls, only to cease as a familiar blue glint caught her eyes. She blinked and relaxed, the tendrils slowly lifting her hands and placing her crown in her palms.
“You think you deserve this?” the swamp asked, letting out a dark, raspy chuckle.
“You believe you are worthy, fitting, of your title? Of your belief that you can save the slumbering?” Nemui blinked, glancing down into the gem and watching her reflection silently.
“I--...”
“YOU think YOU deserve this?” the swamp suddenly roared with laughter, tossing Nemui free of its grip and onto the surface of the lake where the little bear gripped onto a dying, sagging tree, gasping for air.
She blinked and glanced around, seeing no sky, all hidden by dark foliage. Her ears flicked as she listened. It was dead silent...perhaps the most terrifying sound of all.
She glanced down at the crown in her hands and contemplated the nightmare’s words.
“I...I am unworthy…” she whispered, lowering her hands and releasing the crown into the dank depths.
She submitted herself to the dark, releasing her grip on the tree as she fell into the murky depths.
Nemui blinked right as she was about to sink, her eyes millimeters from the water as she spotted something in the distance.
It was a small, insignificant thing to many...but something about it spoke to her. A lotus flower floating across the surface..then another, and another.
How could a flower so...pure, and beautiful, be flourishing in such a place? The bear blinked as she glanced down into the depths, the sapphire of her crown glinting, as if beckoning her.
Something arose within Nemui and lightning suddenly sprung into life from the markings littering her pelt.
“...If such a small, fragile thing can thrive...surely I can, too.” Nemui whispered, flicking her ears and setting them tall against her crown.
“I am worthy, no matter how I got here.” She murmured, her voice gaining footing and conviction, restoring her strength as she lifted her wet wings from the water.
“And I will not let some pathetic nightmare try to tell me otherwise!” She yelled, summoning her weapon from her submerged Core and overloading it with lightning.
The swamp wailed in pain as starlit lightning crackled forth, the swamp disintegrating as the water seared itself from within.
Nemui fell from the fading swamp into a familiar meadow- pelt murky and stained with darkness, and dirt.
She let out a grunt as she used Lullay to stand, finding herself still panting despite the nightmare being over.
“...Seems I still have a ways to go…” she murmured, wiping her lips with the back of her hand as she shook her clumped hair out.
“...Ugh…”
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ART BY: YUJURO | NEMUI © NEMUI.
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. ゜ ✩ ★ ★ ゜ . 
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Bear (Other)
Size 1280 x 695px
File Size 148 kB
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