Garnet.

Chapter II: The Vengeance.

4E 2, Cyrodiil.

  Illent reaches Bravil at sundown. She dismounts her horse and heads inside of the crumbling city. She passes the Mage's Guild and sees that the clock is at 12:01 perfect timing.
"Let's get this nightmare over with," Illent whispers to herself as she approaches the four cloaked individuals.
The Altmer bitch from before spots the Nord and meets her halfway to the statue.
"Are you ready to enter?" She asks.
"Yes let's go," Illent says begrudgingly.
"Very good! And so it begins, the Black Hand's journey into a darkness few can imagine. Let us be off! The Night Mother awaits!" Arquen immediately starts walking to the statue.

  Arquen stands proudly in front of the statue with her arms raised high in the air.
"Behold, the Night Mother! The locals call this statue the Lucky Old Lady. They have no idea how lucky they really are. For this stone effigy masks the entrance into the Dark Brotherhood's most revered unholy site, the crypt of the Night Mother herself! In a moment, we will begin. I will recite an incantation, and we can proceed down into the crypt and seek an audience with the Night Mother. I know this is all very overwhelming, dear child. Just follow along, and you'll be fine. Now, let's go see what the future holds, shall we?"

  Illent follows in after the other four.
She just stands there and only halfway listens to the Nightmother and Speakers conversing. However, one thing stuck. The traitor is still alive. Illent pulls out her glass short sword and as of on cue one of the members pulls out his own weapon and cuts down two of the other Speakers.
"For Lucien! Mathieu you're going to die!" Illent screams and charges the man before he can harm Arquen. She slices into his stomach and kicks him backward. As he screams she hacks away at his body parts making sure he feels the same pain Lucien had felt.

  He dies a painful and messy death. Just like deserved. Illent wipes away the flecks of blood from her brow and faces Arquen.
"You alright?" She asks.
Arquen simply looks annoyed with her.
"Now is not the time for us to speak! We must hear the words of the Night Mother! She will guide us in this hour of despair!"
Illent sighs. "Okay yeah sure." She sheathes her sword and approaches the spirit of the Nightmother.
"M'lady." Illent half bows and stands back up.

  The spectral woman begins to speak.
"So, at last, we meet. I have been following your strange journey through the Dark Brotherhood, young one. Your killing of the old man Baenlin... the execution of Adamus Phillida... the way you stalked and murdered each member of the Draconis family... Your purification of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. You, a mere underling, even managed to single-handedly eliminate half of my Black Hand!" She seems very satisfied with Illent's handiwork.

  Illent shuffles from foot to foot and remains silent. She's trying to purge away the thoughts of killing her own in such barbaric ways.
"Ah, you choose to play the stoic, hmm? You remain silent even when faced with my terrible countenance? Your silent obedience is to be commended. If only my other children had offered such reverence. You see, I have known of Mathieu Bellamont's intentions since he was just a boy. I knew of his thirst for vengeance. I could have informed my Listener. But I refused! Refused to reward such incompetence! Ungolim was weak. Indeed, I allowed Mathieu Bellamont to proceed on his destructive course. Just as I allowed you to intercept him."
Illent clinches her fists at that. If she had told the Listener then NONE of this would've happened. Her beloved would still be alive and her child would have a father to claim them.

  She asks through her teeth trying her best to not destroy this hag's bones.
"But why honored Nightmother?" She sneers at the ghost.
"Don't you see? Our Dread Father foresaw your defeat of the traitor, here in this very crypt! You have been chosen! You are to be my new Listener!" She then points at Arquen.
"She wants a word with you."

  Illent just wanting to go home turns to the Speaker.
"The Night Mother wishes you to take some time to consider your new position. We will speak when we are back in the sanctuary." Arquen says and then leaves the tomb. Leaving Illent alone with an old ghost and dead bodies.
Illent walks back over to the Nightmother.
"It'll be a while before I make up my mind. There is something I must do first." She looks at the ghost.
"Of course I'll be here." The Nightmother says before fading away.