Myxa Sporalis's Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Myxa stood on the dock beside her cauldron ship, the tidal rake still tucked under her arm. She had the tool and the space, but she needed to understand what would actually make merchants want to set up shop here. The morning sun warmed the metal deck as she climbed back aboard. She pulled out her notebook and sat cross-legged near the helm. What did vendors need most? Foot traffic, fair prices, and protection from weather. She sketched a rough layout of the interior, marking where each stall could go. Her pencil moved quickly across the page. The circular flow would work, but she needed to learn how much space each merchant required. She closed the notebook and stood. Tomorrow she would visit the land markets and watch how the successful ones operated. For now, she had her first real plan written down. The next morning, Myxa headed into the city with her notebook. She asked merchants where they learned their trade. Most pointed her toward the same place—a study hall built from red-orange rock near the port's edge. She found it an hour later, its green fluorite windows catching the light. Inside, long tables filled the main room. Students mixed potions and read from thick books. A teacher walked between the tables, checking their work. Myxa approached and asked about classes. The teacher explained they taught basic potion-making and how to run a trading business. Myxa signed up on the spot. She would learn what her future merchants needed because she would learn it herself first. Classes started the following week. Myxa attended every session, filling her notebook with measurements and pricing formulas. She learned which ingredients paired well and which exploded when mixed wrong. Between lessons, she returned to the docks and found a cargo platform with smooth metallic surfaces. The structure had integrated lights and plenty of space for sorting supplies. She started using it to organize sample ingredients she bought from local traders—mushrooms in one section, bottled liquids in another, dried herbs along the back. Each evening she practiced what she'd learned in class, testing small batches of basic potions on the platform before carrying them aboard her ship. The marketplace was still just an idea, but now she had the skills to make it real. She knew how much space a potion vendor needed. She knew how to price fairly and keep inventory organized. The dream had become a plan with real steps forward. One afternoon, Myxa found a preserved tank at a supply shop. Inside, pink alien mushrooms glowed softly next to green worms that pulsed with light. The seller explained they stayed alive for weeks if kept sealed. Myxa bought the tank and placed it on the cargo platform. Living ingredients would fetch higher prices than dried ones. She could store rare specimens outside before processing them into potions. She watched the mushrooms glow as the sun set over the dock. Her notebook was full of formulas. Her cargo platform held organized supplies and living ingredients. Her cauldron ship waited, ready to become something more than just a vessel. The foundation was set. Now she could start building the marketplace itself.