No, no, yes. (Qendou)

"Are you sure we're at the right shard this time?" A gruff male voice complained over the sound of dragging feet and clanking metal.

"It's the last one on the list, so yeah i'm sure. Now watch your step; don't need your clumsy ass falling and taking that loot buff with you." Answered a voice that was much more feminine, yet held an odd hardness.

You could hear them slide down the mini tunnel to reach your ledge.

"Okay. Let's go over this once more."
"Seriously again, how do you not get it yet?"
"Oh I get the plan, I'm just not sure you understand just how stupid it sounds."

Learning that people were already making plans on how to fight you was equal parts flattering and frightening. You had done nothing to warrant the attention of adventurers yet, so how did they know of you? Had one of the other factions noticed you observing them and put out a bounty? It was probably the S.F.M.C. stealing a pickaxe from dwarves may not have been your wisest move.

"Scythia-"
"Your girlfriend."
"-needs another greater All-Sight crystal-"
"MacGuffin."
"-to use her scrying powers in the Shattered Lands,-"
"Half exploded moon."
"-so she can give our guild a resource bonus when they relocate here."
"Be employee of the month."

There was a short annoyed pause.

"Are you done?"
"Continue."

'Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck!'

They were practically at the cave's mouth before you even got the idea to hide. You looked around the empty cave in a panic. Sure, there was the stealth bonus from In Plain Sight, but you still needed to hide in the first place for it to take effect. With zero or less thoughts about the consequences you dove into the well. There in the cold water with only your snorkels breaking the surface, you could hear them.

"Since the crystal is a tier four special item, it's bound to the character's profile."
"Annnd?"
"Come on man."
"Finish it, or I drop."
"And because she has an explicit account I had to rent an Male to Female nerve mod to access her character."
"For thirty bucks an hour. Which you've been using for six hours! You could have just bought her the damn thing for half that price."
"Finding it myself means a lot more and she knows that!"
"All it means is that you'll be short on rent this month."

With the conversation now over, you listened closely to each foot step. Tracking their position was easier than expected. Heavy steps grew louder, as lighter ones became softer and gained and echo. The male had been getting closer to your hiding spot. The female walked off deeper into the cave.

"I don't think it's here dude."
"The alertbot I set up said one of them dropped in a cave on a shard in the seventies. This is the last one, it has to be here. Now keep looking."
"Fine, jerk."

Torchlight flickered across the ceiling and doubly so through the water's surface. He was nearly in reach. Just a few more steps. There, now you could see him. A grubby little dwarf wearing stained clothes under mismatched iron armor. His face was covered in sweat and grime. It was also much closer than it should have been. Not until their eyes widened in shock did you know why. Before any sound could leave his mouth, you took a deep breath, reached up, and pulled him in by the shoulder straps of his dented breastplate.

The two of you struggled as the dense humanoid was dragged down by his metal coverings. He drew a chipped dagger and stabbed wildly. Pain shot along nerves as your health dropped with each successful stab. The damage numbers lessened three times, then stopped altogether as your blood dissolved the cheap blade. Now you were on the offense. Claws anchored themselves into muscle as your tail spike found any and every gap in the dwarves armor. He thrashed against you, doing almost no damage. His brawl skill must have been pitiful. At the well's bottom, he finally stopped moving.

The adventurer's corpse quickly evaporated, leaving behind a loot bag and dozens of little Xp orbs. On instinct, you drew your body into a rigged stance and felt the orbs whirl into your core. The sensation was exhilarating; like you were living several weeks in a brief instant. Thinking became a little easier, senses a little sharper and your body a little stronger.

Peaking over the well's lip, you spotted another torch glowing at the cave's far end. They must have been incredibly focused to not have heard their friend's splashing. You slip out and climb up a wall, then the ceiling. Hand over foot, around a column, through a group of small stalactites, you hung on tightly.

"Eww, what is this stuff?" The female was searching in the numerous little cubby holes you moulded into the back wall.

From above, the woman's torchlight painted her body in stark contrast, even to your blindsight. Each detail highlighted against the darkness. A slender feminine frame with subtle curves draped in large colorful pieces of cloth held close to her body by tight fabric straps. Between the staff on her back and the many pendulums swinging from her hips, it was easy to tell she was a Divination Wizard. Wood elf most likely if the wild auburn hair, tiny antlers and foot long ears meant anything.

"Found it!"
[Unidentified crystal removed from inventory]

Before you could question how the system robbed you, the mage turned to see her friend was missing. You had to act now and surprise her. A ball of clay disappeared from your inventory as the Hive-builder feat activated. You projected the tar-like substance and hit her left ankle, gluing it to the cave floor. She fell, rolled onto her back and went for her staff. Another shot pinned her wrist and weapon in place. Two more and she was spayed out below you; trapped in organic concrete.

You dropped out of the shadows, landing almost on top of her. Now she could see you, illuminated by the dying torch that skittered away in her fall. Bright blue eyes showed shock turn to fear, which slowly changed into anger. She was at your mercy. The question now was, what to do with her.