The first thing she saw was two guards standing side by side against a large, Kobold-sized hole in the wall. The ground, walls, and floors were dirt, which was odd since everything else was tile, wood, or concrete. It was like this place was a literal hole, or at least led down to one.  

After closing the door behind her, the light died out. Only a few brave candles fought off the impending darkness. But she wasn’t afraid of the dark, so she walked forward until the guards held a hand out. 

“Gonna have to ask you to stop right there and leave,” said a Singi on the right. His hair and ears were orange, and his tail white. A small rusted spear rested by his side.  

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” said the Human on the left. His chest was exposed, revealing a large number 9.  

“I am. I suppose you’re a 9th?” replied Servi. She retrieved a coin and flipped it as the three talked.  

“Great. You can see. You need to leave unless you wanna be thrown in there,” the fire from the candles reflected off the coin’s reflective surface.  

“Sorry, but no can do.” After flipping the coin one last time, and while it was in the air, Servi snapped both of their necks. She absorbed the bodies and caught the dupla at the same time. Since the guards were dead, Servi proceeded through the hole in the wall and trekked down the hill. It was steep enough for her to angle her body and slide down it, using one foot for balance and the other for control.  

A few seconds later, Servi reached a flat surface, and that was when she saw it. The person who christened the ungodly object in front of her gave that thing the name 'hole' literally.

“It has to be at least fifteen meters wide, and I don’t even wanna know how deep it is. It’s so dark….” 

After using a few Lux Spheres and raising the hood of her cloak, Servi lowered the floating sources of light deeper and deeper until she heard a large number of screams and cries for help. After making it bigger, she saw it.  

Crowded body to body, the hundreds of naked bodies all pushed against one another. Waste and excrement from all different races almost covered the bottom-most layer of people. And there was no doubt in Servi’s mind that most of the people she saw were dead, suffocated by shit, piss, and the smell of decaying bodies.  

But that wasn’t the worst part. In the distance, Servi saw a small pile of bodies in a large, crimson-filled tub. They were baby-sized, and each one had a slit from the neck down to their stomach. It was as if they were meant for tossing the little corpses down into the pit. Some even had their little eyeballs plucked out. But strangely enough, there were only Human babies to be found. Not that it didn’t make the scene any less gut-wrenchingly horrific, it was something that Servi observed in the quick instant before she vomited.  

“Fuck! I mutilated and ripped off heads, but I don’t fucking do this!! God fucking damnit!!! The Mafia is a diseased limb that deserves to be pruned. Babies?! Fucking babies?!?! Fuck the plan! I need to put these people out of their misery! Why the—GGGUUUUU!!!” Servi kneeled over, vomiting the rest of her watered-down coffee. It splattered against the dirty ground, doing absolutely nothing to combat the overwhelming stench of sin and death.  

Is this the true nature of people? Why do such a thing…. And why the babies and children….? Servi, I’m…..I don’t feel good…… 

Pulling out her ID, Servi quickly searched for some skill, but her nerves were shaking so badly she couldn’t concentrate. It was hard to believe, but the situation with Parrel’s torture room didn’t compare in the slightest. It was like putting a cat up against a tiger or a wooden shack against a metal building.  

Her nerves got to the best of her, and she slammed her ID down. “Fuck it. It’s going to be painful for a moment, but this is all I can do. I’m sorry I can’t do more…” Using Earth Wall, Servi made a round piece big enough to fit the hole. Then using Telekinesis, she lowered it down until she felt some resistance.  

She went further, lowering it until she heard the cries of those unluckily enough to still be alive. It wasn’t long until they were silenced.  

Going even further, the rising sea of waste and excrement overflowed the rim of the hole, prompting Servi to walk back up against the hill.  

“Fuck the Mafia…. I can’t destroy these fuckers quick enough….” she said as she forced the piece into the hole for good. 174 red souls rushed towards her as if she was their fatal savior who put them out of their misery.  

The piece of Earth Wall she created was a perfect fit, but she wouldn’t dare walk on such an object whose foundation was made up of hundreds of corpses. It would be disrespectful.  

“But why… Even after seeing that….. Why can’t I cry….? Am I broken? Why can’t I fucking cry….?” Servi whimpered as she took a deep breath. “I need to stay strong for Momo. But if I find out that Carrie knew about this and actually enjoyed this, I might just go with plan C. Fucking the Mafia and fuck this town for submitting to their desire in the first place. Maybe I should nuke it off the face of the world?” 

Servi struggled to come with answers of any kind as she ascended the hill. She heard a sharp crack behind her, and the Earth Wall she used crumbled into dust. Even at her craziest and most depraved, she knew she couldn’t live with herself if she went back and glanced in the hole. Her mind probably couldn’t take the sheer depravity of the situation.  

“Hehe, maybe I’m not a total monster after all. A monster, yes, one with nary any redeeming qualities, but at least I’m not like that bald Singi. Speaking of which, better dispose of the trash,” Servi was about halfway up the hill when she took out the bald Singi’s corpse. Its neck still leaning 90 degrees to the side, she tossed it down the incline and faintly heard a quiet plop. “You deserve to be buried with the disgrace you made. Goodbye and good riddance, the world won’t miss you….”  

After saying a little prayer for the children and unfortunate bastards in the hole, Servi opened the door to the cafeteria and promptly closed it. At the same time, she used Earth Wall to silently and subtly fill in the area immediately behind the door so it would not open. If the Mafia wanted to enter, then they’d best be prepared to do the work. 

---

“How was the hole?”

Plopping down, Servi sighed and answered Old Man. “Not good. It’s so nasty. And oddly enough, I didn’t see any guards. Why don’t we go see Carrie and see if we can do our task early? I’m tired of waiting.” 

“It makes no difference to me, but will she be in the room?” Old Man stood up.  

“Probably. If not, might as well use the coffee maker to make something palatable.” 

“Ohoho! I see that nasty-ass coffee is getting to you,” Old Man chuckled as the two made their way back to their temporary rooms.  

Upon opening the door, they saw Carrie asleep at the table. She rested her sleeping head with her right hand. Seeing that her handler was totally defenseless, Servi took the time to strike. After creeping around to her back, she reached down and blew into those furry ears.  

“WWAAAHHHH!!!” Carrie cried, getting to her feet. She used Instant Retrieval to retrieve her spear but stopped when she saw it was only Servi and Old Man.  

“Damnit, Williana!” she yelled as tears streamed down her eyes, thrusting her arms down like a child throwing a tantrum. Her long tail erected up and frayed, becoming proof of her anger.  

“Come down, Carrie. You get so worked up you won’t be able to enjoy tonight, yeah?” Servi sat down and took a coin from her pouch. She mindlessly flipped it as Old Man and Carrie both joined her.  

“Alright, smart ass, keep it up, and I won’t recommend you.” 

Servi shrugged and called her bluff. “Fine with me, but l doubt your fingers would be a suitable replacement. I can do what no other woman can,” she stuck out her tongue and snaked it up and down.  

Carrie smacked the table. “Fine! Just give me some respect!! I AM ranked higher than you!” 

“That’s acceptable. Oh, one thing. What’s the deal with the hole?” 

“That?” Carrie scoffed. “It’s a pet project of one of the Numbered. Whereas I like to skin people, that bald cat likes to toss people into a shitty hole. I don’t know why, but he’s so fond of it. It’s not pretty, and I’m fucked up because I drink blood, and I admit that, but I’d never, ever throw someone into that.” 

“That’s right, you licked my neck when I killed that Kobold. Never heard of someone drinking blood before.” 

Carrie slammed the table once more. “Got a fucking problem with it?” Her sudden anger did little too frightened Old Man, who believed he had experienced it all. Servi kept a pleasant smile and spoke with a simple, easy-going tone.

“I didn’t say that. I said that I never knew someone who did that. If you want to drink blood, then fine by me. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Oh yeah, some guy in a mask gave me this letter when I tried to find the shitter,” Servi retrieved the letter she wrote and innocently acted confused. Her second plan was about to begin.  

“Masked man?" Carrie's anger dissolved like salt in a warm glass of water. Let me see. Have you read it?” Carrie unfolded the letter and silently read it. 

“Nah, he gave me orders to give it to a Numbered. And since you’re my handler, I waited until I saw you. To be honest, it sounds important, but there was no seal. A part of me wants to believe it’s fake, but I don’t know. The man had a sense of urgency in his vo—” 

“THAT FUCKING LITTLE BITCH!!!!!” Carrie roared with anger as she rushed out of the room. Even from down the hall, Servi could hear the faint remnants of her voice. “THAT FUCKING TRAITOR!! I KNOW SHE WAS GOINF TO DI SOMEJRIBWB!!!!” eventually, it all became anger-infused gibberish, and neither Servi nor Old Man could decipher it.  

“I wonder what was in the letter?” he asked.  

Servi walked over to the coffee maker. “Don’t know. Hey, how do you work this thing?” 

Old Man stood up and retrieved a cup and coffee beans from the back of the device. “Move, and I’ll show you,” he lifted the top part of the machine and deposited the beans, then he sat the cup underneath a hole. “You push this switch here and wait. I don’t know how it works, but it makes a damn good pot of coffee.” 

The machine spring to life after Servi flicked the switch, and she examined it from all angles. “Water? Where’s it coming from?” 

“Beats the hell out of me. Maybe it uses Create Water?” Old Man sat back down. 

“Probably.” A few seconds later, the machine beeped as the pot filled with brown goodness. Servi grabbed a nearby cup and filled it. Then she took a seat with her piping hot cup of joe. “It smells like actual coffee,” she said after sniffing it.  

Before she had a chance to taste it, Carrie slammed open the door and pointed at Servi. “You. With me. Now.” 

Groaning, Servi stood up.  

“There’s an emergency meeting, so act respectful, okay? And refer to me as 9th. This is non-negotiable. You got that, Williana?” 

“I do. But why do I need to go?” Servi felt the dangerous urgency and fright in Carrie’s voice. Figuring it would be a waste of time and awful for her, Servi decided to play it safe and acted totally politely.  

“It’s the letter. Now, come on. Old Man, you do whatever the fuck you want. Depending on what happens, the task might be called off," he did nothing but nod and watched as the door closed.  

“Well, since she’s gone…might as well enjoy this abandoned cup of coffee."

---

“Tell me again what he looked like. And leave out no small details,” ordered a Singi. A 6, carved into his forehead, was raw and scared. Having no cat-ears or tail, he looked like a regular Human without Human ears. Servi thought he looked a bit strange, but she didn't know the truth until Carrie whispered it to her.  

If he has no ears, then how can he hear us? Itarr wondered.  Though they weren't communicating, Servi internally asked that same thing.

“He was tall and had a deep voice. And I didn’t get a look at his face because he had a mask on. I didn’t see a tail, and I didn’t see any furry ears. I didn’t see any pointy ears, either, but they could’ve been hidden inside the mask and pressed against his face,” replied Servi. Standing in the center of a circle of bodies, she turned to face the Singi. It was clear to her that he was the one who had the most authoritative power here.

The room she found herself in was large and threatening. A wide ceiling invoked a foreign sense of vertigo while the few candles sprinkled about multiplied the density of the room, making it feel more ginormous than what it actually was. It was a place designed to maximize the mental stress of a person. The sheer amount of bodies circling her didn’t help much, either. Or at least, it wouldn’t do much for a usual person.

And as Servi, herself, knew: she wasn’t typical in the slightest.   

“What kind of mask?” Carrie asked.

“It was white or gray, I didn’t get a good look because of the Florescent Lights, but it was featureless. I didn’t see any scars or bright colors or even stains. Oddly enough, it had no eye holes, so I don’t know how he saw. And when he walked away, he didn’t act like he was blind.” 

“Do you know what’s in the letter?” An Elf in with a 7 carved in the middle of her chest asked. Her tank top was low cut, showing off the scar that she was proud of.  

“I do not. I wanted to hand it to my handler, and I felt like I shouldn’t read it because it wasn’t meant for my eyes,” said the girl who wrote the letter.  

“There are some pretty serious accusations written in here. It says my sworn sister, Eletri, is a traitor. It says there are corpses of Singi and Koena hidden beneath the trash in her room, who belong to the Mafia. Tell me this: this letter wouldn’t be the words of a slimy little bitch who wants to get ahead in the Mafia at the cost of others, would it? I’m of the right mind that you wrote this, but Carrie disagrees. Oh, but speaking of that, John Carri isn’t here. He’s the one who recommended you, correct?” 

“Yes, ma’am, he is. Last I saw of him, he wasn’t in the best condition. I overheard two men at his side saying he took 10 Pink Monotonia. That was at the Boxcar, though.” 

“If that’s the case,” spoke the featureless Singi, “Why can we not find him? It seems to me that you are responsible for his disappearance. If you have proof to the contrary, then make it known. If not, then your death will not be quick or gentle.” 

“6th, I’m not blessed. I only made it to Rank 10 in Warden. Here’s my ID,” Servi summoned her ID and handed it to Carrie, who passed it around the Numbered who circled her. Most were quiet, but Servi could feel their stern gaze. 

But for a brief moment, Servi forgot something important. It was something serious that she couldn't believe she had overlooked something so basic, even after making sure and putting in the work to orchestrate this turn of events.  

The ID had Servi. It did not have her fake name, Williana. 

Servi waited with bated breath for them to discover her real name. Her mind had already thought of fifty Greater Fireballs. All she needed to do was complete the thought, and everyone in the room would burn to death.

“6th, an ID cannot be forged or scribbled with false truths. Williana is telling the truth. See? Here’s her name, her Warden Rank, and even her skills. From what it looks like, the best thing she can use Protection and Lucem. I don’t think she could’ve killed John Carri,” Carrie said. She was pleading to her superiors.  

Servi took a subtle breath of relief and thought it was strange that it didn’t say Servi, but maybe… 

Servi, I’m here. I’m always here. I’ll always help you when you need it. I may not be able to use our powers, but as a Goddess, not even your soul can take away my administrative rights to manipulate your ID. I know not why I can, but perhaps I was instrumental in creating them? After all, the dust they produce when broken is absorbed by their wielders’ bodies. And my power is Absorption...

So she is here….. I’m glad…. I’m so very, very glad…. She never left in the first place…. Servi mouthed those words. Not a single decibel of sound escaped her pretty pink lips, yet on the inside, there was a full-blown party. Her realizing that Itarr was still inside of her felt like the final push of strength she needed to see the undercover operation through to the end.  

“6th, I do believe Carrie is right,” said an old Kobold with grey skin. The number ‘7’ was displayed on his stomach via the manipulation of his black stomach scales. Most were missing, but the few that remained formed his rank. “John might’ve been a lustful display of Human eroticism, but he knew how to fight. And the two bodyguards assigned to him weren’t weak. And based on what I see from this ‘Williana,’ she has nothing to do with his unexplained disappearance.” 

“Even so, that doesn’t explain why an informant of the Boss would use her to send a letter. That never happened in the time I’ve been here, so why now?” exclaimed the Elf with the tank top. Servi turned to look at her and realized the 7 almost seemed to be pulsing.  

“None of us has ever laid eyes on the Boss, and none of us know the Boss. Who’s to say that his tactics are beyond our knowledge or understanding? The best thing to do is to verify the claims in this letter and see the truth with our own eyes,” the earless Singi narrowed his reddish-brown eyes and stared at Carrie. “I assume you will take responsibility for her actions? She only just joined, and as I recall, you took her under her wing until she can be trusted, yes?” 

“6th, I do take responsibility. With my life, if I nee—” 

“No, that’s not what I mean. I want you to punish her the way we would any traitors. You can send her to the hole, or you can skin her alive by ripping pieces of her flesh off. In reality, the full punishment will be inflicted on John whenever he is found. He was the one who originally scouted her, after all.”

Was Carrie willing to die for you? Why? She just met us, and I don’t understand… 

Itarr’s thoughts were the same ones that barrier through Servi’s mind. She didn’t understand how or why Carrie would do such a thing.  

The featureless Singi was about to say something else but was stopped by this room’s single door slamming open.  

“6th, I can’t find Salcedo. I searched his room, and I tried to get to the hole, but the door wouldn’t open. I think it’s blocked,” the intruder hastily said. He was a Koena, but his arms and legs were red and blue, respectively, while his body was black. On his forehead laid a fleshy, pulsing bit of red skin in the shape of an 8. A triple-colored Koena was quite a rare sight to behold. “I asked around, and I heard mention of a situation with him and two new members.” 

The Elf with the 7 ordered the red and blue Koena to continue speaking.  

“There was an altercation this morning,” he said as he walked closer, “It had something to do with his knife from breakfast. Someone said he threw it at the Kobolds, while another said the knife launched itself. But they both acknowledged the factual truth that Salcedo ordered a guard to bring them to the hole after hitting them. That’s why I tried to get into it, because I thought he was in there, but the door refused to open.” 

“And you, the Human bitch, do you have something to do with this?” the 7th correctly accused of Servi, but she had the perfect defense.  

“7th, I do not have Telekinesis in my skill list. Nor do I have any skill capable of blocking a door. The only thing I am guilty of is receiving that letter from the masked man and bringing it to my 9th,” Servi said like she was an honor student submitting a report to the headmaster.  

“It seems the best way to settle this is to go to the hole and Eletri’s room ourselves. You, Williana, will come with us until your claims are proven true,” said the Singi with no ears or tail. With a swift chant, two metal handcuffs appeared from his Dimensional Storage.  

Servi knew what was coming, so she didn't put up any resistance when she held out her wrists. Carrie took the cuffs from the 6th. “Just deal with it, alright?" Carrie said. Servi nodded and sighed as the cold metal bindings clasped around her wrists.  

After being led out from the massive room, Servi soon found herself in the middle of a conga-like line of the strongest people in Deset. If she wanted to, she could take out the entire leadership. That was an option, and Servi considered that action might be drastic enough for a 5th to be sent, but it was still too much of a risk. She had to be careful. The slightest fuck up, while safe for her, might put pressure on the Boss. If he got too stressed, there was a chance he'd slit Momo's throat to get it over with.

It was like a balancing act, only the stakes were much higher.

After taking a few lefts and a couple of rights, Servi found herself back in the cafeteria. The door that led to the hole had a line of people in front, and each did their best to open it.  

“Ah, 6th?!” exclaimed the blue Singi, who was forced to eat a Kobold's eyes. He smirked when he saw Servi in cuffs. “We're trying to open the door, but it’s like something is behind it. And it doesn’t open outwards, only inwards.” 

“You, open this door,” the 6th pointed to the Kobold with a 7. He nodded and maneuvered his hulking body to the door. With two mighty hands, he poured his pride as a Kobold and pushed with all he could muster. But it didn’t budge. 

“6th, that girl there. I saw her go into that door not too long ago,” squealed the blue Singi.  

Servi felt an urge to give him a sudden heart attack but fought it back. He’d die soon enough.  

“Well then, it seems like you’re a core suspect to all of our mysteries. What do you have to say for yourself?” asked the Elf with a 7.  

Servi had her response all lined up. “I went in and saw a hole in the wall, but no guards. I figured a place like that would have to be important. I went in a little further and made it about halfway down the hill before I ran back. The smell was just too awful. Once I made it to the top, I calmly closed the door and went on my own way. I have no skills or anything to lock a door. You've seen my ID, so you know I'm telling the truth.” 

“Yeah, right! I bet you had something to do with this! Why would someone new actually go into the hole?! And I know you’re lying because there are two guards at every hole!” 

Did she say 'every?!' Servi, does that mean what I think it means…. 

“I’m sorry, 7th, but I saw no guards. They may have been at the bottom, but I couldn’t make it that far,” replied Servi.  

The 6th sighed and rubbed his non-existent furry ears. “You, tear it off.” The Kobold with a 7 nodded and effortlessly ripped the metallic door with such ease. A solid wall of dirt and rock stood in the doorway.  

I don’t think Feral could’ve ripped it off like that… Kobolds sure are strong… Itarr chirped. She was in a much better mood now that Servi knew she didn't leave her. Suddenly a thought came into her head. If I use the ID, then couldn’t I talk to her? I should since I can control what it says. Okay, I’ll do it tonight or when we’re alone. Servi! It won’t be too long!!