Ragvan wiped his forehead as he approached Kagrenzel. He'd been tracking Endras' location for the past three weeks. According to the Dawnguard, an extremely powerful Vampire rested there. After further investigation, Ragvan found the proof it was Endras. He checked his gear: two ebony daggers on belt, his daedric crossbow on the chain, his katana on his back, and his silver bolts in his pouch. After loading an exploding fire bolt into his crossbow, he walked quickly and quietly into the Dwemer ruin.
He saw the Vampire Lord standing by an orb of light before finding himself immobilized. He could barely breathe, and was helpless as Endras flew over to him.
"So, we meet again. Ragvan, was it? I don't understand why you're even after me. I want Marina Frost dead; you want Marina Frost dead, why don't you work with me instead of trying to kill me?" Endras spoke, landing.
Ragvan could feel the spell weakening. Enough that he could speak. Maybe Endras was doing that.
"I…can't..trust you." Ragvan choked out.
"Now, now. I'm not giving you a choice, here. Either you work with me willingly, or I will enthrall you."
"Very well. I'll work with you." Ragvan resigned, feeling the paralysis spell wear off. He fell to the ground.
"There, that's better. Now, partner, where are your sanctuaries?"
Ragvan lifted himself up and walked over to a wooden post. He had no idea what it was doing in a dwemer ruin. Maybe it was to be carved? He felt Endras walking behind him. He had to be quick-Endras is expecting an attack.
"There's one in Falkreath, and one at a place called Rebel's Cairn."
"And the passphrase?"
"Falkreath's will ask 'what is the music of life?', the answer is 'Silence, my brother.'. As for the Cairn, I don't know."
"You fool!" Endras shouted, swinging a claw dripping with poison at Ragvan. Ragvan ducked, rolled under Endras' outstretched arm, and pulled his crossbow up to fire at Endras' chest. Endras fell back against the wooden post and yelled in pain as the silver burned him. Ragvan wasted no time. He quickly grabbed Endras' wings and wrapped them around the post before driving his daggers into them, trapping him. He stepped back as Endras bit and clawed at him.
"You fool. I can easily revert back and escape this." Endras spat before seeing Ragvan apply something to his sword.
"You won't live to do it." Ragvan laughed as he stabbed Endras in the heart before decapitating Endras. Endras' head rolled off to the side as his body fell to the floor in elvish form. Ragvan walked over to the head and lifted it up by the ears.
The head blinked, still in vampire form. Endras looked around in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened.
"You still have about 18 seconds of brain activity left. I only need three." Ragvan grinned as he pried open Endras' mouth and pierced his own neck with Endras' fangs. He gasped as he felt the power enter his body. So much, in fact, that he dropped Endras' now-reverted head to the ground before passing out.
(Instead of a line break, I'm going to add this little note within the story. I'm playing off the idea that for a few moments, the brain continues to live on before it, too, stops.)
When Ragvan awoke, he felt powerful. He could feel the Vampiric power calling to be released, but he pushed it back. Just the power he held now, in his human form, was enough. He climbed up off the floor and walked over to Endras' head. He picked it up and grinned at it before placing it in a burlap sack and throwing it over his shoulder. He had to prove to Maven Black-Briar that Endras was, indeed, dead. He walked over the wooden post and picked up his katana off the floor. After sliding that, and the two ebony daggers, into their respective sheaths, he walked out of the Ruin and began making his way towards Riften.
"I killed you, Endras. Not Marina. Not Astrid. Not even Niruin. Me. All by myself." Ragvan whispered with a grin. There was almost a skip in his step. He stopped grinning when he noticed a bandit ambush lying in wait. He lifted the crossbow with one hand and fired it at who he assumed to be the leader. The leader burst into flames while the other three bandits charged Ragvan. Ragvan, with the sack in his right hand, pulled the katana out with his left and began cutting and stabbing at the attackers. When two of the three fell, the last tried to run. He was stopped by an icicle to the head.
"Silly bandits. They think they could rob me?" Ragvan laughed even more as he spotted a carriage in the distance. He raced after it, pulling a small amount of gold from his pocket. When he finally approached the carriage, he climbed in the back.
"Where are you guys headed?" Ragvan asked, setting the sack between his feet.
"Riften. You got coin, traveler?" the driver asked. Ragvan replied by handing him the gold. The driver took the gold and sat it in a chest before slapping the reins.
Ragvan looked at the other passengers. One was a dark elf, while the other two seemed to be Khajiit. He noticed one of the cats was looking at the bag.
"What's in there, if you don't mind Rajet asking?" he asked.
Ragvan smiled before lifting up the sack and pulling out Endras' head by his hair. The dark elf threw up over the edge of the carriage and the two khajiit shuddered before looking down. Ragvan noticed that Rajet stiffened when he saw the head. Almost as if he recognized it.
"You asked." Ragvan smiled before dropping the head back into the sack.
"So, what are you? A bounty hunter?" The cat asked. Suddenly, the dark elf's eyes widened as he saw the mark on Ragvan's hand. The elf nudged the cat and he fell silent.
"Yep. Dark Brotherhood. Don't worry. As far as I know, you aren't part of any contracts we have right now. Shall we continue our ride?" Ragvan laughed. The dark elf kept a hand on his dagger, while the Khajiti duo looked down in fear. The horses soon began to pick up speed.
"Listen, Rajet, I'm not going to kill any of you unless you attack me first. Let's just have a normal conversation until we get to Riften. What brings you and your kinsmate there?"
"Thieves Guild. We heard they're desperate for members. We're desperate for work."
"Does your friend over there talk?" Ragvan asked, pointing at the other Khajiit.
"No..M'rok had his tongue cut out. Don't ask why. He gets upset."
"And you, Dunmer? What brings you to Riften?" Ragvan smiled.
"Got exiled from Windhelm after killing a racist Nord."
"And you threw up after seeing that head? How'd you do it, if you don't mind me asking?"
"With my bare hands. Punched him so hard in the nose, it broke and splintered into his brain. Total accident. Of course, Jarl Ulfric didn't seem to think so. You know what happens to Dark Elves in their prisons? Nothing. We get ignored. Treated as empty cells. So I begged Ulfric to banish me instead. He was feeling generous that day."
"Ah, so you're hoping to be a fisherman or something?" Ragvan asked.
"Yeah. Or maybe work for Black-Briar."
"Funny, that's who I'm going to go see."
"Huh." The dark elf laughed. Nobody else seemed to want to talk, so they continued their trip in silence. When they arrived at the Riften stables, Ragvan leapt off and walked through the gates before the other three even got up. He was stopped by a man in steel armor.
"What brings you to Riften, traveler?"
"Dark Brotherhood business." Ragvan replied, lifting the sack.
"I see. Carry on, then." The man replied before walking away. Ragvan walked towards Black-Briar manor before knocking on the door. A servant opened it.
"Yes? What do you want with the Black-Briars?" He asked, a hand on his sword.
"I'm here to see Maven, regarding a contract she ordered." Ragvan spoke. The servant was pushed aside as Maven Black-Briar stood at the door.
"Please, come in." She spoke before walking downstairs.
Ragvan followed after her before entering a small room that she unlocked with a key. She sat down in a chair and pointed at another, inviting him to sit.
"Normally, I deal with Marina Frost. Why wasn't she able to make it?" Maven asked.
"I'm afraid Miss Frost is out of Skyrim at the moment. I, however, have fulfilled the contract you ordered. With proof." Ragvan spoke, before setting the sack on the table.
Maven looked into the sack, nodded, then smiled at Ragvan.
"You, my friend, have just made me a very happy woman."
"Thank you, Maven. Now, about payment?"
"Ah yes. But first, what is your name?"
"You can call me Ragvan."
"Ah, Ragvan. The price on Feronis' head was at 15,000 septims, but I'll give you 20,000 instead. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, very. If I may, madam, would you please keep this quiet until Marina returns?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Bragging rights, mostly. Her and I…get competitive."
"As you wish. Shall I have the money delivered to the Sanctuary or.." She trailed off.
"Actually, if you could pay me in Exquisite Diamonds I could be on my way and put this all behind us."
"Very well. Three Exquisite diamonds it is. Be careful. If you lose these it is not on me."
"As long as you promise not to send anybody after me for them, that is fine by me."
"Right this way, then."
Maven got up and led Ragvan to another room where she moved a bookshelf and walked down a hidden staircase. In the room were a large number of safes, all with different keyholes.
She unlocked a safe and pulled out three fine cut diamonds, each the size of Ragvan's fist. She placed them in a silk bag and handed them to Ragvan.
"Our business is finished. Please show yourself out. Also, don't speak of this place to anyone. I'll know it was you."
Ragvan smiled and nodded before walking up the staircases and leaving the manor.