Crack the Kernel
Prologue
Cumulus Island is part of a small archipelago in the middle of the Carribean Sea. Cumulus is the largest island there and serves as the 'mainland.' It is inhabited by enchanted creatures and animals, even beings thought to be ancient or only rumors.
The archipelago is surrounded by a mystical forcefield that only allows certain people to see it. For instance, if you tried to go there with any evil intentions, you wouldn't be able to see the islands. This force is controlled by Albino Lugia, ruler of the Cumulan archipelago.
Three smaller islands also surround Cumulus. These are Feather Island, Scale Island, and Kernel Island. Feather Island is known for its exotic, beautiful scenery and wildlife, and Scale Island is known for its tiny size, but vast population.
And then there's Kernel Island, which is known only as a 'red flag.' As suspected, it's the oddball out. All Cumulans dread Kernel Island and never even dare to go there, which is why there is so little information about it. There is only one peice of information involving Kernel Island that was documented back when the archipelago was very, very new and still being explored. It had been kept secret for a long time, but had strangely leaked to the public, which began the infamous dread of the island.
The following is this documentation:
FOR CUMULAN POLICE EYE USE ONLY
DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION
SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1999
CUMULAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT SPECIES: LUGIA
NAME: QUETZAL
GENDER: MALE
BODY COLOR: EMERALD
SCALE COLOR: WHITE/RED
SUBJECT SPECIES QUETZAL RESPONSES:
"There is a third island. I'm telling you the truth. I just lost my best friend to whatever attacked us, and all you're doing is questioning me?
"Why does it matter what they were? I don't care."
"Fine. Here you go. These things had round bodies and heads, were dark green, had tan-ish fins, hooves, horns, and bared fangs. Their tall fins on their backs made them stand out, I guess. Happy now?"
"Whatever. They shot energy beams out of their horns, which killed my friend. I was lucky to escape with this singed wing, in case you haven't noticed.
"For heck's sake, yes! I already told you! There's a third island! What do you want me to do? Go back and ask those things?"
TOTAL CASUALTIES: 1
CONCLUSION: SUPPOSED "THIRD ISLAND" IN THE CUMULAN ARCHIPELAGO HAS BEEN MARKED 'SEVERE.' DO NOT ALLOW ANY CONTACT WITH THIS ISLAND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Quetzal, the Lugia in the documentation, was never seen in public again after the police finished their questioning. Still to this day, nobody knows what happened to Quetzal.
Kernel Island didn't get its name until many years later when the first map of the Cumulan archipelago was being made. The origins of its name choice are unknown. Cartographers highly considered removing the island from the map, but logically decided to include it so people could know how to avoid it.
...But what was to become of Kernel Island?