Note: Clarissa needs to ask what this thing is. Make this stronger by having it reveal some of its nature and the coming apocalypse. It plants the seeds of doubt in Clarissa about the Census Office. When she is accepted back later, it surprises her that she's promoted and that for a time overlays her uncertainties, but the use of Infusion solidifies her need to leave.
She didn't know why, but she felt really alone now. Drarebe was clearly dead. The Pool drowned him almost immediately. She had not expected to feel this way. The guard shoved her forward and she walked with halting steps. Kneeling in front of the Pool, its unnatural azure glow filled her vision. Without preamble, the First Servant forced her head under the liquid.
"Breathe," said a voice. But it wasn't the First Servant. This voice came from inside her head. She breathed and felt the tension lift more easily than during her initiation.
"Wait," said the voice. This was very strange. Her breath started to burn, but an unseen force held her still. As tendrils of panic began to wrap around her mind, screaming for air, she was physically thrown back. Crashing down the stairs and gasping, she looked around wildly and came up in a defensive stance. But then she froze. Before her was a vaguely humanoid form of pure Water element. Then it spoke in a voice that sounded eternally under water.
"What did you tell your masters?"
Clarissa had no idea what to think. She looked side to side. The room was empty. Moments before it had been full of cultists. The door was barred and a long way away. She turned back to this creature.
It didn't wait for a response. Flowing forward, an apendage flew out from its body and wrapped around her waist. Two others shot out and entangled her ankles. She fought to push them away and escape, but it was like swimming against an undertow.
"Tell me," it said, its face coming close, "did you tell them where we are? About this room?" Clarissa didn't answer.
Another apendage came out and seized her head. She felt the being invade her mind. The pain of having it flood her like that was intense and she would have fallen to her knees without its hold supporting her.
Suddenly, the pain receded and the presence fled her mind. The watery bonds were loosed and she sank to the floor.
"I apologize, I was angry. I have no wish to waste such a useful Servant. Join us. For real this time."
Clarissa looked up at it, wary. "No, I would rather die."
"No, you wouldn't."
These words spoken with quiet certainty cut to her soul. It was right. She didn't want to die. She had killed a fellow agent and been utterly derelict in her reporting. Now she had been caught and confessed to the cult who she was. This could hardly have been a bigger mess.
"I won't fight against my city."
The creature slid itself down to be "eye to eye" with her. An almost human gesture that was unsettling in its attempt to comfort her.
"What if I told you you didn't have to?"
"I would say you're lying. You seek to steal from the Conduit Plant, to wrest its secrets like all the other cults."
"Agent, we have the same mission. We protect the Conduit Plant."
"Whaa..at?"
"The Ergon, the other useless cults. Think. We kill them and stop them from entering the city. We have the same mission."
Clarissa was speechless. The thing continued. "You cannot return to the Census Office now. Not with any honor. But down here you can perform the same duties. I am merciful. There is a price, however, for that mercy."
"What is that price?"
"Other than loyalty, which I will provide, you must agree to lead us into the fortress. We must deny the Census Office pure tralaticon. They do not need this to defend the Conduit Plant. And we must obtain our own, which will happen soon."
Clarissa shifted around and bowed low on her face. "I submit."
The Water elemental reached out and engulfed her head. Flooding her system with itself, it began changing her internal structure to suit itself.