Prologue - What Is a Delicazen?

What is a Delicazen? A Delicazen, as I've come to understand, is a unique species sustained entirely by sugar. 

From gummy bears and ice cream to shortbread cookies and gingerbread, nearly any sweet treat imaginable seems to correspond to an existing Delicazen.

For the past 15 years, I’ve dedicated my efforts to studying these extraordinary beings, striving to uncover the mysteries behind their nature and behavior. 

The journey has been anything but easy.

Delicazens inhabit a remote and treacherous land known as Pannulum, an isolated continent where nature itself seems determined to repel outsiders. Monstrous waves guard its shores, relentlessly driving back any attempt I've made to approach by sea.

Yet, with the aid of some invaluable external support, I've made a breakthrough — one that may unlock the heart of my most ambitious project to date. While it's true Delicazens thrive on sugar, their very existence hinges on something far more profound: their core. This core, a highly condensed formation of crystallized sugar, resides at what can only be considered the “heart” of a Delicazen. Through the core alone, a Delicazen's life force is sustained. With this discovery, I've begun piercing together the intricate puzzle of their existence.

However, a final challenge remains...

For years, I've asked myself time and time again: What does a vessel need to truly survive? 

A heart?

A mind?

Well… those both certainly help. But all you really need…

Is a soul.

But a soul cannot simply be conjured out of nothing. So, my dear ______, I will help you. With this final, vital piece, I hope to ensure that you will stay strong and healthy. May your soul burn ever brightly and experience the joy and wonder this world has to offer, living a life that I could only dream. 

All that remains for you now is to —