Lauren Martin's Arc

Chapter 3 of 5

Lauren walked through Fort Orynth's western district where the warehouses stood. She needed to see where merchants stored their goods before delivery. Her machine would live here someday, sorting packages faster than any crew could manage. The dream felt closer now that she knew which buildings could house her invention. She turned down a side street and spotted something that made her stop. A gold and bronze award sat in a display case mounted on a red marble base. The plaque read "The Inventor's Choice Award." Lauren pressed her nose to the glass. This award went to inventors whose creations changed how people traded. Names were carved into the base—people who had actually done what she dreamed of doing. Her chest tightened. If she finished her machine, maybe her name would appear here too. Lauren continued walking until she reached the merchant quarter. A mobile wagon stood beside the road, its desert camo awning stretched over glass display cases. Inside the cases sat working prototypes of different tools and devices. Merchants gathered around, pointing at the items and asking questions. Lauren watched as the wagon's owner demonstrated each invention. This was exactly what she needed—a way to show her machine to traders before they decided to buy it. She pulled out her notebook and sketched the wagon's design. The afternoon sun beat down hard, and Lauren's throat felt dry. She spotted a coffee house ahead with a painted sign that read "The Brass Lantern." Through the windows she could see merchants sitting at tables, papers spread between them as they talked. Lauren pushed through the door and ordered water. She sat near a group discussing shipping routes and listened. These were the people her invention would help. Every complaint they mentioned was a problem her machine could solve. She finished her water and headed back outside, her mind buzzing with ideas. Fort Orynth had everything she needed—awards to chase, places to demonstrate her work, and people who would understand why her invention mattered.