the grand capital (2)

After getting it together because of how amazing the Grand Capital looked, Riven explained the plan to everyone.

"Okay, we're going to split up into two groups. We need to gain more units this time around to the point where we don't have to even come back here, so we'll split up evenly," Riven said, with everyone agreeing. "Wren, can we sell on both high and low platforms?" Riven asked, looking at the broad towers and skyscrapers.

"Yeah, we can. I can remember some venues being up there, but nowhere near as much as down here," Wren said, answering Riven's question.

The Grand Capital wasn't just a city—it was a marvel of impossible design. Floating above the earth, clusters of small towns hovered in the air, each one made up of silverstone buildings tethered together by skybridges and anti-gravity cores. These airborne districts shimmered like stars during the day, suspended far above the ground yet somehow alive with activity—shops, markets, and even homes functioning midair as if it were normal.

But the sky wasn't the only home to this wonder.

Below, a sprawling town stretched across the land, bustling with people and wrapped in layered walls that spiraled upward—walls that didn't just protect the city, but connected it. These towering, rune-inscribed walls curved high into the sky, branching out and merging with the bases of the floating towns above. It was as if the ground itself had grown arms, holding up entire neighborhoods in the clouds.

The entire Capital functioned like a vertical ecosystem—ground and sky intertwined, streets and skybridges alike lined with merchants, guilds, and travelers from across the earth. It wasn't just a place to live—it was a statement: no dream was too high to reach.

But that made Riven think to himself—what was his own dream? Was it to get stronger? Meet Mom and Dad again? To protect Jordan? Riven didn't know what to do with himself yet. He kept moving, but he stopped his thinking and continued.

"Okay then, like I said, we'll split. Nico, Wren, Jordan, Luka, Skye, Joey—all of you will go up top and start selling items up there, while me, Jude, Leo, Tessa, Harkel, and Kira will all be down here selling items. Any questions?" When Riven said that last part, he didn't actually expect any questions, but people had their hands up like they were in school. "Okay, Skye, what's your question?"

"Can I switch with someone?" Skye asked nervously.

"What, why? You don't like one of your team members? 'Cause if you don't, you're going to have to get over that," Riven said, trying to be a good leader.

"No, it's not that—it's just… I'm afraid of heights," Skye said that last part in a whisper.

"What? I didn't hear you," Riven said.

"I'm afraid of heights!" Skye yelled back.

"Your name's Skye, yet you're afraid of heights?" Harkel retorted.

"Yeah, I am. I have no shame in it," Skye said back.

"On that note, can Kira and Skye swap?" Luka asked with his hand still raised.

"What, you got a problem with me or something?" Skye asked, getting in the boy's face.

"What? No—it's just I'm more comfortable if my sister was with me instead," Luka said truthfully.

"Dude, do you really think we'll do something to your sister when you saved our friend's life?" Leo joined.

"No, but—" Luka tried to argue, but Nico stopped him.

"How about this: Skye swaps out with Leo, and we swap Kira with Joey. End of story," Nico said, getting annoyed with the altercation.

"Okay. That work with you guys?" Everyone agreed, and they did the trade. Tessa didn't like it, but she knew she had to get used to not always being around her brother.

"When they go up the bridge, we don't know if they might check credentials or not," Joey said, putting the thought in everyone's head. They all turned to Nico and Wren, who seemed to be the best people to ask about this place.

"Yeah, you do, but with Riven, we can. We could just teleport. It's a rare evolution, so they won't be prepared for it. We just need to be fast with it," Wren answered.

"Okay, fine. Plan's set," Riven said with a smile.

Nico, Wren, Leo, Kira, Luka, Jordan, and Riven all had their hoods on, walking up the bridge. There were tons of people there as well, covering the group. Riven then, with a touch, sent Luka and Kira up toward one of the sky islands. He sent them behind a building. He then did the same for Leo and Jordan. Luckily, Leo was crouching the entire time, so no one could see the big figure disappear into thin air. He sent the two to the same spot as Kira and Luka. Then lastly, Nico and Wren—both girls got closer to Riven so he could teleport them, and when he did that, he himself immediately teleported back to the ground where his group was at. He'd turned on the telepathic link skill so all 12 of them could stay in contact.

"Okay, now everyone walk toward the venues. Do not walk how you usually walk. Try to walk in a mysterious way—we don't want anybody being able to tell it's us under the hoods," Riven announced in the link.

Then everyone made their way to the venue spots. When the group up top got to their own, Riven and his group on the bottom could hear their reaction of surprise and curiosity. Then when they got to the bottom venue, they could see why—in every corner there was a venue on both sides of the street, leaving the middle park clear for people to walk around and try to buy something. Riven then heard through the telepathic link that Jordan and his group found a place to set up at. Riven then brought items and put them in the system storage space so Jordan's group could have access to it.

Jordan then placed a cover on the ground and put weapons on it. At most, the weapon was at level 4.

"So who's gonna be our salesperson?" Jordan asked.

"Kira should do it," Riven said in the telepathic link.

"What? Why me?" she asked back.

"Because we know why I split you and Joey up—it's because you two are the nicest people out of us, meaning you'll be able to put up with bad customers." When Riven gave the girl her answer, Leo chuckled.

"Yeah, when we first did this at the Sigil Gate City, Riven almost got into it with a student who kept calling his weapons fake, even though he used the scanner."

"Fine," Kira said in a defeated tone.

Back on the bottom, Riven and his group found a spot as well, doing the same Jordan did with Joey sitting in the front of the cover, with the group behind him. The group up top did the same, with Kira being the one sitting in front of the cover.

An hour later

"God, can we invest in some pillows? My butt is cramping," Kira thought so everyone could hear.

"I wouldn't. It looks unprofessional," Harkel said.

"More like she would look more like a witch than a merchant," Leo replied, chuckling in his head.

"Maybe we should. We'd probably get more sales if she looked more like a witch than anything," Luka said, joining in the conversation.

"How's business down there?" Nico asked, getting annoyed with the conversation.

"Nothing. I don't know what we should do," Riven replied back.

"My offer still stands and still makes sense. I mean, look around—these people are buying potions more than buying weapons," Jude said.

"What offer was that?" Riven said. He didn't hear Jude because he was too busy focusing on where to place the portal.

"Jude thinks we should sell not only weapons, but also some of the potions, which, looking around, doesn't seem to be a bad idea," Jordan said, answering his brother.

"Hmm," Riven said as he opened the system.

"Wait," Jude stopped him. "We should try and sell the awakening potions. If you want to sell stuff to the point where you don't want to come back, we should sell the awakening potions. They can go for a lot—like I'm talking around a million—but I don't think anyone here's got that, so I would say around 100,000, maybe more, especially when they take into account there are people out there who couldn't even awaken to the first stage." When Jude said this, no one could disagree that her idea seemed flawless, but there was still one problem.

"How can we get people to trust that we have a potion that can help people awaken?" Joey questioned.

"Easily. Give them a taste test," Riven replied back, and he bought 6 awakening potions, putting three of them in the system storage so Jordan and his group could get them, while giving the other three to Joey to put on the cover he was in. He also brought two 2x Strength and Speed potions, giving one to Jordan's group and the other one to Joey.

After another hour, a group of people would approach their small stall. The group had armor and different weapons on their backs—from swords to wands to even a gun.

"Hello," a man said, with Joey greeting him back. "Hmm, I've never seen these potions before. What are they?"

"These are awakening potions. They help a person reach the first awakening, and if you drink enough, you could also reach the second awakening," Joey said truthfully.

"What, do you think we're stupid? There's no such thing as a potion that allows a person to awaken."

"Fine then. Why don't you try it out for yourself? We'll let one of you try out the potion, and when it shows the results, you're going to be glad you took it," Joey said with confidence.

"Hmm," the man said, then he yelled out, "Riley! Get over here!" When the man yelled out that name, a young man then came in front of the group. "Riley here is going to be drinking the potion, and if anything happens to him, then you and your little group will be enemies of the Storm Guild," the man said with a smirk.