The Dragonlands is broken, falling apart, just like the rest of Lemuria and yet it was the only part of the planet that was entirely being held together by the chains of its people. It appeared primal and lush in nature bursting with elemental magic. It is referred to as the ‘Brood Lands’ of the ‘Draconic Kin’ while the capital city of the Dragonlands is known as ‘Dracthara’ or the ‘City of the Dragons’. The city is located in the mountainous region of the Dragonlands that is known as ‘Dragon Heart’ and it was known for its formidable structures as well as complex waterways. Filled with pristine and beautiful intact buildings as well as gardens, its vertical lofty mountains and great cave systems served as the homes to various races. The harpies built great aqueducts that reached across the entire valley and great cisterns of stone that would be improved on by us humans, and we humans had a lot to do and make up for. We lost the war and the only reason we were kept alive was due to our technology that the harpies of the Dragon Empire adopted for their own needs. There were many of us who were purged after the war and those of us that remained were survivalists. I was brought to the city by a massive spaceship whose door opened and whose massive metallic ramp reached down to the harbor before we would disembark. We were all in chains, humans and kazari alike, and to those below we were an exhibit.

“Too skinny…”, we were all placed in line, carefully being observed by the Dragon Guard, the city’s watchmen that picked us out. “Too sickly…”, the haru that moved before our line had one look at us and knew immediately what he didn’t or did like seeing.

I didn’t know where those people that were undesirable to him were taken but I was hoping he didn’t label me as such. I stood there with my jaw and my entire head chained, waiting in fear. The haru walked back and forth until he was satisfied with his assessment, and then the guards just pulled us back and we would go through processing. The Empyreal Outskirts, also known as the ‘Dracthara Outskirts’, is what surrounds the city of Dracthara that lies on top of a large plateau of Dragon Heart. From each and every side of the outskirts there are large waterfalls that fall below into the many rivers that surround the plateau of the city. We would bathe here under the watchful eyes of harpies that sat on floating stones tied to chains. After that, I was brought to the market where we were being sold to slave traders, who depending on their allegiance would determine our life’s choices, and I prayed for someone good.

“Now this one looks good.”, a human male observed me closely. “What do you think, Jill?”, the woman beside him glared at me and I gulped in her presence. “Can you talk, little girl?”, the male asked and I nodded my head. “Sir, yes, sir.”, I replied formally and he laughed.

“It seems this one has good manners. Where you from, las?”, he made conversation. “I was from the Doom Falcon.”, this made Jill smirk happily and Jack lift one eyebrow in confusion.

“The what falcon?”, he said. “It was a massive spaceship that I lived on, now long gone.”, I replied. “Oh…”, the man looked uneasy. “How old are you?”, he asked.

“Eighteen, sir.”, I replied. “Any experience in the field?”, he asked. “Yes, sir, I was trained to be an infiltrator.”, I replied and then Jill raised one eyebrow, it seems she was interested now.

She stepped forward, pushed Jack out of her way and leaned her head down with her blue eyes. She focused deeply into my eyes and I deeply focused back into hers without hesitation.

“Oh, she was an infiltrator alright.”, said Jill. “Buy her, Jack, and take her to the Drury Bakery.”, she added and Jack smiled happily at her. “Old Tommy is certainly going to like her, isn’t he, Jill?”, she leaned her head back and then turned to face Jack emotionless.

They purchased me that day and then an electric collar was placed around my head, which was quite standard even among us Cyberpunks. They walked me through the outskirts that are filled with elven residents, which is why this place was referred to as the ‘Elven District’. The atmosphere of the outskirts is quiet and tranquil in nature, having a feeling of confinement. There are buildings here that resemble Japanese and Chinese buildings of human origin as the humans that resided here constructed them upon their arrival. There are many monks, druids, and shamans that can be found here, patrolling the vast assortment of groves and lakes. The bridges here are wooden and elegant. There are leaf-covered pathways that dot the outskirt’s landscape that are a testament to the elven reverence for nature. The harbor I had arrived to is called Venture Bay, where the city’s main imports came from and where many spaceships docked. The city wall that lied past the harbor was the location of a grand stone gate that lead into the Bazaar, and right beside it stood a little lane with a sign that read ‘Drury Lane’. The area was filled with citizens who wished to purchase baked goods from the ‘Drury Baker’ which was advertised throughout the streets. There were shrines located close by and parks where the citizens sat eating their baked goods. When I was brought inside, the interior resembled a Japanese-styled bakery home with many bakers manning her ovens that were Arcane Mages.

“Here you go, kid.”, Jack gave me a sack of silver. “You do know what this is, do you, girl?”, he raised a remote control and I nodded my head. “Yes, sir.”, I replied.

“Good, Jill and I will be in the market for the time being. You make yourself comfortable for a while until we are back for you. That silver should be good enough for a meal or two, you hear?”, I nodded my head back. “Sir, yes, sir.”, I replied like a soldier would once more and he looked at me with one eyebrow risen, sighing, and shaking his head before walking away.

I could see him turn his head back, look at me again in thought, and then pushing the door as he stepped out and went his merry way. This is how my journey began within the Dragonlands. The Drury Bakery had so many choices to choose from. There were muffins, bagels, cakes, fritters, custards, and so many other options to choose from. The brooms, rags, brushes and sponges all worked on their own for they were animated by arcane magic. The magi had little time to take care of the place, which is why they had their objects do it for them, and when I approached one of the counters with the bells I thought of ringing it. Everything was placed inside cases made from glass that hung from the ceiling and that were located in certain portions of the store over on the ground. When you looked up to those in the ceiling, they hung upside down and didn’t drip at all for the arcane magic kept them in place.

“Welcome to the Drury Bakery! We thank you for coming down to Drury Lane! When you are ready to order, just tap that bell there and we will service your every need!”, there was a human standing behind the counter near the bell and I looked down to it before I looked back at him.

“Besides all this, may I ask what’s on the menu?”, I asked the human that didn’t respond and just stood there smiling at me which made me so confused until that thing responded. “I can help you, good sir!”, I looked down to the table and got scared when I saw a gingerbread man.

Yes, a live gingerbread cookie brought to life by arcane magic that had a chef’s hat, gloves, and an apron baked into its appearance. It smiled at me and waved its hand as I stepped back worried.

“The menu is right here!”, the gingerbread man walked to the side of the table where there were stacked books and then I looked back at it before a smell captivated me, stealing my heart away.

I looked over the counter and pointed out in the distance as it sat there on the table, its beloved smell spread across the room with a lovely and attractive aroma that won my heart.

“What kind of an apple pie is that?!”, I asked the man who just sat there before repeating his whole sentence once more like he was a recording. “Silly human, that’s an illusion created by arcane magic.”, said the gingerbread man and I looked down at the gingerbread man but I was soon distracted by the lovely pie that floated into the air, moving over the counter to one of the patrons of the bakery along with two knives and two forks folded in a napkin.

“This… arcane magic…”, I said thoughtfully. “Is that the same type of magic that lifted that pie, those forks and those knives?”, I asked the gingerbread man. “Yea!”, who raised his arms and happily responded much to my disgust before I looked up to the hologram and tapped the bell.

The hologram then dispersed in a puff of smoke and in its place was one of the arcane magi, who looked left and right trying to see who rang the bell. He then looked down to see me and I looked at him shocked at how fast he got here because that was quite fast…

“How may we serve you today?”, the magi asked. “I’d like an apple pie?”, I replied.

“That would be three silver coins.”, I reached for the sack of coins and untied the knot, reaching into the bag where I pulled out three silver coins that I handed to the magi who then proceeded to melt it in the palm of his hand as it dripped down into the sink below him that was unaffected.

“Thank you.”, the magi said before snapping his fingers and disappearing, and in his place an apple pie appeared that floated down onto the counter. “Will you be dining with us today?”, I turned around and I was startled by him suddenly appearing behind me. “Yes?”, I replied.

“Very well.”, he snapped his fingers with a fork and knife appearing wrapped in a rag that floated over the counter beside my pie that lifted in the air.

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It was then that the tiles of the room shifted and with me standing on top of it that moved me around to the nearest booth where there was a table, candelabra, and a plate ready for me. The pie itself along with the knife and fork placed themselves on the table for me.

“Would you like something to drink? Wine, water, juices…?”, I reached for my sack upon him asking and then said. “Water, please.”, I replied and then the sack suddenly shut itself, tying the knot back over it and I let it go as it nearly fell before magic elevated it and placed it on the table.

“It must be your first time here, good sir, because we don’t charge for water.”, the magi said before snapping his fingers and glass of water appeared that placed itself over on the table along with a large pitcher that held water within itself if I needed anymore water.

“Would you like anything else?”, he asked and I shrugged. “Maybe later?”, I replied. “Very well.”, he snapped his fingers and a bell appeared in the center of the table along with flowers.

“If you’d like to be served again, then just ring that there bell for us, would you? And I assure you, we will be with you in a jiffy.”, I turned around and nodded my head again. “Okay.”, I was so surprised by the good service here and how everything was fast as the magi disappeared in a puff of smoke much like his hologram and I wondered if it was even real what I saw.

The gingerbread man waved at me from the counter and I waved back at him for helping me out, smiling, until a new patron walked in the room. She approached the counter and upon seeing the gingerbread man she stopped. She was an elven gorgon, they were not much into baked goods unless they were meat pies and even then it was debatable. The gingerbread turned to her, waved at her with a smile on his face.

“Hello!”, he said while the hologram was finishing its typical warming welcome for the patrons and she just stepped forward, took the gingerbread man and bit his head off that horrified me.

My jaw dropped and I was in shock, staring at the horror that had just happened and then a flame appeared behind her as there was a tall figure, a haru, which seemed to emerge from the flames. He looked like one of the bakers but he had no chef’s hat and just an apron. He glared down at the girl and when she turned to look at him his anger turned nervous concern.

“Hello, Elina.”, the magi seemed to lower his head down with concern and she kept biting on the gingerbread man, eating him whole in front of the baker. “Did I eat another one of your friends again, Horner?”, the gorgon asked the baker that appeared to be uncomfortable and the tails of the elf rose up behind her, three of its heads turned to face me and I knew exactly why.

I turned my head around immediately, stepping over into the booth that I was given, and I took my seat as I kept my eyes focused on the pie but also on the discussion between the elf and the harpy. The elf didn’t seem to turn her head and therefore I hoped she didn’t notice me. It was then that another magus appeared beside this Horner and this magus appeared like the chef that was on every poster of Drury Lane that posters referred to as the ‘Muffin Man’.

“Lady Frost. Welcome, welcome!”, he held his hands together and he looked nervous too as I cut into my apple pie, taking a piece of it and eating it. “Please forgive little Jack Horner here for not looking at his surroundings before acting blindly!”, the Muffin Man sounded disappointed at this Horner, who held his head down in shame in front of the Muffin Man.

Yet, this little Jack Horner was a lot taller than the Muffin Man, who was just a regular human like you and I. He wouldn’t possibly stand a chance against the haru, I am certain of it.

“Jack’ron.”, said the elf and the Muffin Man turned to face her with confusion. “Excuse me?”, she then slapped the Muffin Man so hard over his face and in front of everyone that made most of the patrons turn in surprise, and when an elf slaps you it fucking hurts because of their claws.

The Muffin Man turned humiliated and held his face as the elf just stood there without remorse.

“His name is Jack’ron, Jack’ron Horner and I am tired of you calling him Jack.”, she said coldly to him and stood there with no pity or shame. “The next time I come to this establishment and hear you say that, I am going to rip your head off your shoulders, do I make myself clear?”, the way she said that in front of everyone and just so casually made me look in awe but when I turned my head to see what the other patrons were doing, they were just eating and looked away.

When I turned my head back is when I saw her shadow loom over me. She was standing before my table and leaned her head down slightly; the blackened hood was over her head and two scythes hung from her belt that is quite visible to the naked eye.

“Is this seat taken?”, she asked, reaching for the top of the seat before me with her claws that clenched on the wood itself. “If I said yes, would it make a difference?”, I replied much to her surprise as I could see she was intrigued by my response while Jack’ron looked concerned.

This Elina Frost had white pale hair and her red eye irises gave her a demonic-like appearance along with her black mascara and dark tainted lips. She wore a blacked robe over this skimpy-like black steel mechanical armor as she seemed to embrace human cybernetics in her uniform design. She wore a choker and a collar around her neck that had a rather unique design as it seemed to be engraved with obsidian stone and various metallic chains. I could tell by her attire that she was a dark sorceress, a rebellious rogue, or a dark ranger of sorts. There were many possibilities of what she could be but I’d wager my bet on these over all the rest.

“Jack’ron, why don’t you go and bake me some of your plum pie?”, the magus looked aside and then she reached for his chest, and he gazed into her eyes. “Don’t conjure one, bake one. Put your love into it, your passion.”, she grinned at him and winked, patting his chest.

Jack’ron stared towards me uneasy before disappearing into a puff of smoke and Elina took her seat while the Muffin Man remained standing beside the lady as if expecting something.

“Your usual drink then?”, he asked her and she turned her head, giving him a cold stare before he raised his head up and looked at me, smiling and bowing his head before disappearing.

“I am Elina.”, she raised her right claw. “Elina Frostclaw, but my enemies call me Elina Frost.”, I swallowed my pie and stared blankly at her, lowering my eyes down towards her claw. “So what does that make me?”, I asked. “Is there truly a point introducing myself to a potential enemy?”, she really loved that response as she could only smile and lower her claw down.

“Of course not, Kirya Hennington.”, she said my full name and I had never ever met her, and so I stared at her in shock and awe. “You are Jack and Jill’s little puppet.”, she added. “You are entertainment, really, for them and I.”, the Muffin Man then appeared to us with a platter and on top of it there was a golden goblet shaped like a skeleton hand that he lowered down.

Upon placing it over the table, Elina didn’t even bat an eye and kept her full attention on gazing into my eyes as the magi disappeared into the puff of smoke like he always did. I wondered what the contents were of her usual drink for she gave me the creeps.

“But that is not the real reason that you are here, isn’t it, Cutthroat?”, I felt like she knew too much about me and that she was planning to do something but I had no other weapon but using a fork or this knife to stab her with, and I must admit I was considering it at the time.

Elina then raised her claw, which startled me a little bit, and then smiled again.

“Hold that thought.”, she said before Jack’ron suddenly appeared and he carried a plum pie that he placed before her on the table, and the fact that she timed his arrival shocked me. “It smells divine as always, Jack’ron, and as always I love the décor.”, the décor she was referring to was the several wailing heads that were carved into the top layer of the pie that seemed tormented.

“B-B-Best only…”, he seemed to mumble in her presence and placed a napkin over the table but not a fork or a knife, which confused me. “F-f-for you… Eli.”, the giant seemed afraid of her, I thought, and she was a mouse compared to him, she was a dwarf in comparison to him.

“Eli?”, she raised one eyebrow and turned her head staring into his eyes, and Jack’ron’s right claw shook in her presence. “I’ll allow it.”, she said and Jack’ron exhaled in great relief.

“W-Will… that be all, milady?”, asked Jack’ron until suddenly she impaled a scythe into the pie in front of me and this startled me, as I held the grip of my knife and fork ever so firmly. “Yes.”, said the elf before turning her head towards Jack’ron. “Thank you, Jack’ron, you may go now.”, the harpy bowed his head and then looked towards me uncomfortably, dispersing into smoke.

Elina then dragged her scythe twice over the pie and then another one emerged with which she impaled into the pie piece only to lift it to her mouth and take a bite at it. Her eyes closed and she seemed to enjoy the taste while I sincerely lost my appetite.

“I’ve encountered your kind before within the Hearthlands, elf, and they were bloodthirsty druids and shamans hell bent on scouring our existence from the world, and I for one didn’t blame them for what they’ve done to us. We deserved everything we got and more, even those of us who wanted to play no part in our Empire followed out of sheer blind obedience and we paid for it…”, I explained. “We paid a lot!”, and I wanted her to feel how much humanity had paid for the sins of our forebears and our leaders in blood that I would never forget.

“And I paid with my own blood!”, if she was all seeing as she was, she would of known what I meant by that sentence and yet she seemed unmoved. “I do not know who you are, what you are or even what your motivations are. But if this is about my past, I assure you that I’ve left that life behind and I have no quarrel with you or yours. All I want is to start my life anew.”, she stared into my eyes in thought and raised a piece of the plum pie to her mouth that was held by the tip of her scythe, she took a bite off it and kept looking as I cut my pie in front of her.

I kept staring into her eyes, not breaking contact, and then raised a piece of the apple pie with my own fork as I took a bite of my own pie. I had a feeling she was searching for something, the eyes are the windows of the soul after all, and then she shifted her eyes to the right. She broke eye contact first because of the untimely arrival of Jack and Jill that walked into the bakery.

“Let me give you some advice, friend…”, said Elina, as she stared towards Jack and Jill that noticed her from afar, and the elf turned to face me. “Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.”, she pushed her seat back, stood up, and used the tip of her scythe to push the plum pie towards me. “Pies taste sweeter when you share them.”, she added before bowing her head.

The elf then turned, facing Jack and Jill, with a smile on her face that was so menacing that it scared the couple, and then she walked away while the couple looked down at me.

“What did she want?”, asked Jack and I looked into his eyes. “She just wanted to welcome me to the Dragonlands in her own way.”, I replied and then Jill watched Elina step out of the bakery before she would add. “That’s not someone you want to get acquainted with, believe me.”, Jill implied and I couldn’t have agreed with her more.

“Finish your pie, girl, and then we’ll show you the rest of the city.”, said Jack before he pointed to the plum pie that Elina left behind. “Are you going to eat that?"