Chapter-39  

A frown creased Roland's youthful disguise as he stepped back out onto the bustling street. An hour in the Howling Bard had yielded little in the way of concrete information. Sure, the rumor of the Den of Nightmares was circulating, but it was a fragile seed needing more fertilizer to truly bloom.

"Well," he muttered to Lilith, who materialized beside him with a silent grace, "that wasn't exactly productive. We got a rumor started, but no real clues on how to attract the kind of adventurers we need."

Lilith raised an eyebrow, her sharp eyes scanning the throng of people pushing past them. "Patience, Roland," she chided gently. "Planting a seed takes time. We can't expect a herd of eager heroes to stampede towards the Den of Nightmares overnight."

Just then, a flash of movement caught Roland's eye. A particularly plump rat, its fur the color of a week-old bruise, scurried past his feet with unnatural speed, disappearing down a nearby sewer grate.

"Huh," Roland remarked, his curiosity piqued. He glanced at Lilith, a mischievous glint sparking in his eyes. "Speaking of sewers… Does Sundara have a well-defined sewage system?"

Lilith followed his gaze to the grate, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "Of course," she replied, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. "A city of this size wouldn't function without one. Why do you ask?"

"Just a thought," he said, his voice low and playful. A slow smile spread across Roland's face. It wasn't a triumphant grin, but the glint in his eyes hinted at a devious idea taking root.

A spark of excitement flickered in Roland's eyes, disguised as the youthful adventurer. "High-level water magic, huh?" he mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Do you happen to know anyone who could… manipulate a large amount of water, maybe even create a temporary downpour?"

Lilith gave him a curious look. "As a matter of fact," she said, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes, "I wouldn't have to look very far. Water manipulation is kind of my specialty."

Lilith chuckled, a low rumble that sent a shiver down the spines of a few nearby pigeons. "Not exactly a mage, Roland," she corrected. "But water… well, let's just say I have a certain… affinity for it. It runs through my veins, a constant whisper in my ears. Think of me as a conduit, a bridge between the world and this powerful element. Water dragons, as you might know, are creatures of immense power, beings who embody the very essence of the seas and rivers. Their magic is as vast and ever-changing as the ocean itself, and a small trickle of that power courses through me. It's enough to allow me to shape the flow of a river, to conjure a storm cloud on a clear day, or to soothe the waves into a gentle lull. So yes, manipulating water is within my capabilities."

Roland's excitement seemed to dim a little, a shadow flickering across his youthful features. "Water dragonkin, huh?" he mumbled, a thoughtful frown creasing his face. "That might be a problem. While your powers are impressive, Lilith, manipulating a river or a storm cloud wouldn't quite achieve what I have in mind. We need a way to flood the city's sewage system, to create a torrent of water that would force every nook and cranny of Sundara to be drenched in a good, old-fashioned downpour. And that kind of large-scale manipulation seems more in line with rain control, something you mentioned was beyond your capabilities."

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Rain, you say? Now that's a bit more complicated. There's only one person in Sundara capable of such a feat – Saintess Maya, the city's protector and a devout follower of the Light."

Roland groaned, slumping slightly. "Of course," he muttered. "A saint. Just what we need. Someone who would smite us on sight if we even dared to approach her, let alone ask for a favor."

Lilith tilted her head, considering his predicament. "Not necessarily," she said slowly. "Saintess Maya may be devoted to the Light, but she's also known for her compassion. However, convincing her to help a… demon… well, that might be a different story altogether. The World Dungeon Council's alliance with the human kingdoms is a closely guarded secret within the organization, and most humans, especially someone as devout as Saintess Maya, wouldn't even believe it if you told them."

A mischievous glint returned to Roland's disguised eyes. "Don't worry about how to lure the Saintess in, Lilith," he said with a confident smirk. "Leave that to me. I have a plan, a little… nudge in the right direction, shall we say."

Lilith arched an eyebrow, her amusement quickly replaced by a hint of concern. Flooding Sundara seemed like a drastic and unnecessary measure. It wouldn't directly benefit the Den of Nightmares, and it certainly wouldn't attract adventurers. In fact, it could have the opposite effect, driving potential challengers away from a city in the throes of a natural disaster. 

Roland's smile widened, but it was a secretive, unsettling kind of smile. "Oh, they won't take shelter in the dungeon, Lilith," he chuckled, his voice laced with a hint of something dark. "But trust me, the flood will play its part. My plan doesn't involve them running to the Den of Nightmares for sanctuary. It's something far more… interesting. Think of it as a large-scale test, a chaotic event that will disrupt the status quo and shake things up a bit. A flood will create panic, yes, but it will also create… opportunity. Opportunity for rumors to spread like wildfire, whispers of strange occurrences and unsettling discoveries unearthed by the churning waters. Imagine precious artifacts, lost for centuries, suddenly resurfacing amidst the debris. Imagine hidden passageways, long forgotten by the city's inhabitants, being revealed by the raging current. The flood itself is just the spark, Lilith. The real magic will happen in the aftermath, when the city is forced to rebuild and the whispers of the Den of Nightmares begin to circulate with renewed fervor."

Seeing the worry etching lines on Lilith's face, Roland softened his tone slightly. "Look," he said, "I know it seems strange, but trust me. This flood is just a single brushstroke in a much larger picture. All you need to do is follow my instructions. We need to get back to the Den of Nightmares. I've already gathered enough information here."

Lilith crossed her arms, a frown creasing her brow. She wasn't entirely convinced of Roland's plan, but she had learned to trust his instincts, even when they seemed outlandish. "Very well, Roland," she finally conceded. "But you owe me an explanation later. This rain business… it better not backfire on us."

Roland chuckled, a playful glint back in his eyes. "Oh, Lilith," he said, offering her his arm, "when have my plans ever backfired? Oh you don't know me that well. Oh well... anyway, a little chaos is exactly what this stagnant situation needs."

With that, the unlikely pair, the youthful adventurer and his water dragonkin companion, disappeared into the bustling crowd, leaving the bustling city of Sundara blissfully unaware of the storm brewing on the horizon, a storm orchestrated not by the heavens, but by a bored Dungeon Master with a mischievous twinkle in his disguised eyes.