The Dragons Are Back (Miraculous Ladybug X The Elder Scrolls Crossover)

Chapter 26: Durnehviir

Marinette was just lounging on her balcony when a loud, crashing thump shook the roof of her house. She jumped and whirled around, almost yelling "Tikki, spots on!" before remembering that she really shouldn't do that in front of anyone who wasn't Alya, Paarthurnax, or Strunsahtiid.

On the roof behind her was a large, seemingly undead dragon with glowing lilac-purple eyes. Large spikes protruded from its neck and ran down its back and tail, sticking out at odd angles. It had four large horns that curved downwards and outwards, like those of a ram. Its flesh was decayed and its wings withered.

"Innumerable pardons, Marinette. I did not mean to frighten you."

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

"I apologize for not explaining myself. I am a friend of Strunsahtiid and Paarthurnax. I was summoned back to Nirn by the latter and he told me of you and your great deeds."

"Wh-What?!"

The undead dragon leaned in closer and dropped his voice to a low whisper. "I know you are the one they call 'Ladybug', but I prefer 'Qahnaarin'."

"Um, could you have told me your name first?"

"Oh, how silly of me. I should've done that first. Krosis. I am Durnehviir."

"And what happened that made you look like..." she pointed to his rotting wings, "that?"

Durnehviir sighed. "Once, there was a time when I flew the skies of Nirn with my brethren. Dragons in those times would fight in destructive and oftentimes fatal battles over territory. Most did battle with simply their Thu'um and sometimes the most basic of Destruction spells. I, however, sought solutions outside the norm in order to retain my superiority. I explored what the dovah call 'Alok-Dilon', or in your tongue, necromancy."

"So you dabbled in a little too much black magic and ended up like this?"

"Not quite. My condition is not exclusively my own doing. I contacted the Ideal Masters. They were formerly powerful human necromancers, who found their mortal bodies too limiting and abandoned them, in favor of becoming beings of soul-energy and ascended to Oblivion. There, they formed the Soul Cairn, a place where the souls trapped within soul gems go to when the gems are used up."

"What happened then?"

"I formed a pact with them. I would serve as a keeper for them until the death of a woman named Valerica."

"And, let me guess, it all went downhill for you."

"Yes. I discovered too late that the Ideal Masters had no intention of releasing me from my service. The woman Valerica was not only an immortal vampire, but she too had been swindled by the Ideal Masters, so I was bound to the Soul Cairn for eternity." The dragon's face suddenly turned sorrowful.

"If you're bound to the Soul Cairn, then how are you here?"

"I can be summoned to another dimension by Shouting my name. But I cannot stay forever, for my time in the Soul Cairn has taken its toll. You can see it in my decayed appearance. I share a bond with that accursed place. If I were to try to leave permanently, my strength would wane until I was no more."

"And why did you say that you preferred to call me 'Qahnaarin'?"

"Even in the Soul Cairn, word of your victories has reached my ears. It means 'Vanquisher' and, in my eyes at least, you have proven yourself more than worthy of the title."

Marinette stuttered a bit at the praise. "Th-Thank you, I guess?"

Durnehviir was silent for a moment, staring downward. A long, awkward pause ensued.

Finally he gathered up the courage to ask what he wanted to ask.

"The reason why I came here originally was to both introduce myself and..." His voice trailed off, sounding unsure.

"And?"

"And to ask if I could try some of your pastries," he finished quickly. "I heard that they were very good, so I wanted to see for myself."

Marinette stared at Durnehviir for a bit, then started to snort-giggle. He was somehow managing to pull off the whole "puppy-dog-eyes" look, even though he was a decaying zombie dragon.

"Hey, I haven't had the luxury of even being able to eat anything good for Akatosh knows how long!"

"I know, I know," she giggled, "it's just kind of funny to me that a dragon would come here just for the pastries. I'll go try and grab some."

It didn't take long for Marinette to rush downstairs, snag some croissants, and speed back to her room.

Durnehviir reached out, stuck a claw into one of the puffy, buttery treats, and put it in his mouth. He chewed a little, then swallowed.

"This is delicious!" A wide grin, made crooked and lopsided from his rotting flesh, spread across his face.

Seeing how happy Durnehviir was, Marinette held out the box. "Here. You can have them."

"Thank you." Durnehviir pulled a couple copper coins from a pouch around his neck, which she accepted after a bit of argument, then he flew away.

She watched him leave, then went downstairs to give the coins to her parents.