Island King Chapter 1

Hi all,

If you haven’t read my message already, then here’s the situation. I have put HP: The Gamer’s Dimension on the back burner as I am still not happy with where it’s at. Instead, I am debuting my first original story. It will replace HP: TGD in the polls for the foreseeable future.

I originally pitched this story idea a few months back, but it has changed somewhat in that time. But the main premise remains, and it centres around a legendary class he will be competing for, which will give him the ability to literally grow the land beneath his feet.

Chapter 1

The courtroom was filled with a heavy atmosphere, as it seemed that the justice system was poised to destroy yet another young man's life.

"Mr. Fisher," Judge Arnold asked. "Are you fully aware of the gravity of the situation you find yourself in?"

Myles didn’t respond. He continued to clean his right hand with the hand wipes in an effort to remove the blood stains. They had proven to be extremely difficult to remove.

“Mr Fisher?”

“I can’t get the blood off my hand,” Myles yelled, throwing the wipes down on the table.

Judge Arnold sighed. "Mr. Walker, there are no blood stains on your hand. Perhaps it is a sense of guilt that is making you imagine the blood."

Myles inspected his hands. They were clear, with not a speck of blood. He could have sworn that he still had Jeremy's blood on them since crawling out of the car wreck.

His lawyer nudged him, reminding him to be careful with his words. Up until now, the lawyer assigned to him by the courts had been doing a remarkably inadequate job of helping him.

Myles glanced over at the table across from him, where his friend's parents were seated. Their red-rimmed eyes bore into him, accusingly. "I do feel guilty for not making a better attempt to dissuade my friend from driving the car while under the influence. But he willingly got behind the wheel of his own volition, and it wasn't the first time either.”

“Mr and Mrs Hughes argue that it was your influence over their son that led him to his death,” Judge Arnold said.

“My influence?” Myles asked, his mouth hanging open in surprise. “Jeremy was already driving under the influence before I even met him. Maybe he would have learned his lesson if his parents had not shielded him from the consequences of his actions.”

“Quiet down,” his lawyer hissed.

Myles chose to ignore him, as his lawyer had been unresponsive thus far, failing to make any effort whatsoever. The whole situation was beginning to smell like a setup. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but the whole ordeal with the trumped-up charges was ridiculous. He glanced at his mother, who was sitting in the gallery, but she hadn’t looked at him once since entering the courtroom. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on the ground. Thanks for the support, mother.

“So, you think they are pursuing criminal actions against you out of spite?” Judge Arnold raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

“The Hughes are grieving over the loss of their son, just as I am mourning the loss of a dear friend. They are seeking some kind of closure by unjustly accusing me of being the cause of their son’s death.”

Myles persisted in his arguments, but it was falling on deaf ears. Even the judge seemed to be against him. He couldn't believe he found himself in this position. How had things escalated to this extent? It got worse. During the proceedings, the lawyer representing Hughes changed their approach by suggesting that it was Myles who had been driving the car. The words he was hearing were simply unbelievable.

They were able to get away with this because they were pushing for him to receive a prison sentence of two years or less, which did not require a jury to determine an outcome. Surely, the seriousness of the charges needed a jury to make the correct decision? He was aware of the Hughes' political influence, but could they possibly sway the court to this extent?

“Myles Fisher, you have been sentenced to two years in prison for…”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Three years later

Myles arrived at a scene of carnage.

The scene brought to mind a gladiator battle, where only the winner stood while the defeated lay sprawled on the ground, issuing cries of distress. The victory would have been truly triumphant if it weren't for the fact that the defeated were forced participants who had to defend themselves against a larger, more aggressive bully.

The victor’s name was Baron, a capuchin monkey with an attitude. He stood proudly above his vanquished comrades, relishing in his triumph.

“What am I going to do with you, Baron?” Myles sighed.

Baron looked up as he heard the sound of his favourite person in the entire zoo. Upon realising that he had been caught, he attempted to feign innocence by pretending he had merely been playing. He tried to poke one of the fallen capuchin monkeys in the eye, a sign of affection among their species. The recipient was not having anything of it and screamed at Baron, who slapped the monkey in the face in retaliation.

Baron looked at Myles and raised his arms, a gesture that he regularly used to convey his innocence.

“You’re not fooling anyone, you little rascal.”

Myles entered the cage and walked over to assess the damage. Thankfully, none of Baron’s brethren looked to have sustained any lasting damage. He would need to have the zoo's veterinarians examine them, however, which would make the incident official. Trouble awaited the nine-pound furry-faced creature with a bad attitude. Baron was his favourite animal in the zoo, but he couldn’t play favourites. He had the responsibility as a zookeeper to look after the welfare of all the animals.

Byron leapt up onto Myles' shoulder and nuzzled his neck affectionately.

"You do realise that you're not out of the woods, right?" Myles said, gently petting him. "This is the third incident in as many months."

Baron expressed his frustration by screaming and thumping Myles' head softly. This was not the first time they had this particular conversation.

“Yes, I know you hate it here. Your numerous attempts to escape from your habitat are well documented. If the decision were mine, I would release you back into the wild.”

Baron signalled to the cage door as if requesting to be released immediately. He was remarkably intelligent, even for a capuchin monkey. Myles had begun teaching him basic sign language, and their progress was promising so far. Baron's ability to learn sign language was groundbreaking. To his knowledge, no one had ever successfully taught a primate to communicate using sign language. He had no intention of sharing it with anyone else because he wanted to avoid the attention it would attract.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble? I already have a criminal record, so I have to be careful not to get into further trouble."

Myles gave Baron a piece of melon to coax him into a small cage. For now, he would need to be kept in isolation while the zoo figures out the next steps to take. He was worried that Baron would face significant repercussions because of the incident that occurred today. The frequency of such incidents recently made it highly likely.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Regrettably, his fears came true as he was called to the curator's office a few hours later. He kicked his heels outside the office, growing more impatient by the minute. It was characteristic of the man to call for him, but then keep him waiting. It was the passive-aggressive bullshit that Myles had to deal with on a daily basis.

The curator strongly disliked him because of his criminal record. He wanted to fire Myles, but he lacked a valid justification. Myle's case was strengthened by the fact that he was the zoo's best zookeeper, even though he was just twenty-one years old and had limited experience. He had a gift of being able to earn the trust of even the most dangerous predators, allowing him to work closely with them without endangering himself. He didn’t know where the unusual talent came from, but he discovered it soon after being released from prison. It allowed him to keep a steady job and keep his parole officer off his back.

“Mr Reed is ready to see you in his office now,” the receptionist informed him.

Myles stood up and walked into the curator's office, where Andrew Reed was seated behind his desk. Andrew observed Myles as he settled down in a chair. The man embodied the classic administrator archetype—always impeccably dressed and meticulously groomed—and was known for his strict adherence to the rules.

“Myles, remind me what I have said regarding your tattoo?” Andrew frowned, looking at his bare forearm.

“To keep it covered up at all times while at work,” Myles said.

“So, why have you disobeyed that order?”

“It’s a tattoo of Baron,” Myles said, his brow creasing. “Not anything that the visitors are going to find offensive.”

"Regardless, it gives the zoo a negative image. Please make sure to not show it inside the zoo again."

Myles chose not to argue as it wasn’t worth the effort.

"Now, let's discuss the reason why I asked you to come here. "Myles, we have encountered a major problem," Andrew said as he leaned back in his chair. “Keeping Baron in the zoo has become impossible due to his violent and disruptive behaviour.”

“That is because we are not doing enough to stimulate him,” Myles said. “I suggest we get him some new materials to put in his enclosure. He enjoys using his hands to make tools but has limited resources available to him.”

“We have already made accommodations for his behaviour long enough. The only reason we made so many concessions for him is because he used to be a prolific breeder. But that is no longer the case.”

“How can we expect him to perform on command when he is clearly unhappy? He is a wild animal, not somebody’s pet.”

Andrew did not look impressed. "The zoo is not a charity, but a business. We must also take into account the welfare of the other capuchin monkeys. What if something terrible happens and one of them gets hurt or even killed? The zoo would be left dealing with a messy situation. And who would be responsible for cleaning that mess up? Yours truly."

"What are you planning to do with him?" Myles asked, his left hand rubbing his right hand anxiously.

Andrew flashed a smile, exuding a sense of self-satisfaction. “I have found a buyer for him who will take him off of our hands. Baron will be picked up tomorrow.”

He wanted to slap the smug expression right off his face. “Who is buying him?”

“Benedict Harmon. He runs a research laboratory down in the valley.”

Myles stood up, placing his hands on the desk. "You can't possibly be serious," he said. "That man has a notorious reputation for mistreating the animals he uses in his lab."

“I suggest you tone your aggression down. The matter has already been decided,” Andrew said, looking down at the paperwork in clear dismissal.

Myles stalked out of the office before he did something he regretted. As he left the building, he received a text message from his sister. Frowning, he opened the message to read it.

My boyfriend is coming over with his parents so I can meet them. Can you make yourself scarce?

She didn’t want them to meet her brother with a criminal brother. Myles stowed away his phone and wiped his eyes. He shouldn’t be surprised by this point as their relationship had soured since he went to prison, but it still hurt. The text further worsened his mood. Could his day possibly get any worse?

“Are you okay, Myles?”

Myles turned around and found Natasha standing before him, another zookeeper. Her lovely green eyes brimmed with genuine concern for him. The young woman was unfailingly kind, always greeting him whenever they crossed paths.

"I'm fine," Myles said. "I just received some unfortunate news about Baron."

Natasha followed him as he made his way back to the primate enclosures.

“I heard about it from my father,” Natasha said. “I tried to persuade him to overrule the curator’s decision, but he displayed a remarkable level of stubbornness and adamantly refused to listen.”

Myles thanked her with a smile for making the effort.

The girl was amazing, but he couldn't bring himself to ask her because she was the director's daughter. He didn’t want to put his job in jeopardy. Unlike the curator, the director would not hesitate to dismiss him if he laid a hand on his daughter.

"Can you believe it? I heard that he is being sold to Benedict Harmon."

“I believe that asshole Andrew is capable of almost anything,” Myles said with a dark expression.

"I always get a bad feeling when I'm around him," Natasha said. She took hold of Myles' arm and guided him towards a nearby bench. "Listen, I have an idea of how we can help Baron."

“What is it?” Myles asked, feeling wary as he noticed her secretive demeanour. Natasha's face was incredibly expressive, making it impossible for her to conceal her thoughts.

“I am part of a group of animal rights activists that rescue animals at risk.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Myles said.

Natasha clasped her hands together, expressing her earnestness. “You are the only zookeeper Baron will listen to. We have to stop him from becoming agitated, or he might alert someone that we are kidnapping him. Can you remove him from his cage tonight and bring him to the service entrance?”

“Are you crazy? There is no way I can get away with it.”

“The guard on duty tonight is a member of our animal rights group,” Natasha said. “He will look the other way when you enter the zoo tonight. I'll make sure that the security cameras temporarily go offline to prevent you from being caught. Meet me at the service entrance and I'll take Baron off your hands."

“Even if I were to consider this crazy plan for a moment, where would you take Baron?”

"I will take him to a temporary home while I make arrangements for his return to South America."

Myles thought about her offer. He would be in serious trouble if he was caught. Due to his close relationship with Baron and his criminal record, he would be the number one suspect, even if he wasn’t caught. He did not want to return to jail, as two years had been more than enough.

“Why can’t you rescue him in transit to the lab?”

Natasha's head lowered, her face flushing with shame. “I understand it is a risk, but I don't have many other options available to me. Harmon is coming tomorrow to place a tracking chip in Baron. He doesn’t want to risk losing him.”

Why was he so interested in Baron? Did he know something?

“Baron would have to undergo surgery to remove it, and that carries a risk to his life,” Myles said in realisation. “Let me think about it for a few hours. How should I get a message to you if I agree to go ahead with this plan?”

Natasha provided him with a discreet method to indicate whether or not the plan was moving forward. They did not want to use cell phones for communication as it might lead back to them if there was an investigation.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Myles approached Baron's enclosure and made sure that there were no witnesses around to see what he was going to do next. After deliberating over Natasha's plan for a few hours, he had made the decision to assist her. The security guard had let him into the zoo without the need to check in, so he assumed everything else was going according to plan. Since the zoo only kept a skeleton staff on at night, there wasn’t much risk of running into them if he was careful.

Baron must have sensed his arrival, as he came running towards the cage door, screeching loudly. Myles placed a finger on his lips, and Baron fell silent immediately.

"I'm going to get you out of here, but you need to stay quiet, okay?"

He opened the door and Baron emerged from his cage, his long tail thumping against the ground with excitement. Myles took off his backpack on his shoulders and opened it up. "I need you to hide in here so that I can take you out of the zoo."

Baron climbed into the bag, and Myles slung it over his shoulders. Looking around once more, he started heading in the direction of the service entrance. Just as he had taken a few steps, the ground suddenly shook violently.

Myles let out a curse as he tumbled to the ground, and Baron screeched into his ear. The earthquake couldn't have happened at a worse time. As he entertained this thought, drowsiness began to creep over him, prompting him to blink rapidly in an attempt to stay awake. Despite his best efforts, his eyes closed involuntarily, plunging everything into darkness.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Myles gradually opened his eyes, squinting in response to the intense sunlight shining down from above. Wait, was it daytime? He quickly sat up and scanned his surroundings, searching for anyone who might catch him in the act of stealing Baron from the zoo.

“Where in the hell was this place?”

He could hear the crashing of the surf even before he laid eyes on it. Myles stood up, turning in every direction to fully grasp the extent of his situation. He unexpectedly found himself stranded on a small island; a rocky outcrop with several trees and lush greenery at its heart. It was so small that he could walk from end to end in thirty seconds or less.

His bag lay on the ground. Baron remained inside, sound asleep, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Myles crouched down and pulled the bag open when he noticed something odd. Baron had inexplicably experienced a growth spurt, adding a few inches to his height and gaining some weight on his frame. How did this happen? Baron had already reached full maturity and was at the upper limit of his species' size range.

As time went on, his confusion was only growing. What happened last night with the earthquake, and what caused him to fall unconscious? Had their entire escape plan fallen apart? Suddenly, a voice unexpectedly echoed in his mind, seeming to respond to his inquiries.

Welcome, human. I am the System Admin. This world is known as Gaia, and unfortunately, you have been caught up in one of the System’s cross-dimensional heists. Returning you to your dimension is not possible. For full transparency, please access the admin logs. You have been granted special permission to access the information that is relevant to you, but this is limited to a single instance. Say Admin Logs to open the virtual display interface.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

Myles couldn't deny the voice that was echoing loudly in his head; it felt as if he were wearing a pair of headphones at full volume. Either he was losing his mind, or the situation was undeniably real.

In a state of disbelief, he spoke the command word. A virtual screen materialised before his eyes, hovering in mid-air. He reached out to touch it, but his hand phased right through it. Browsing through the information, it showed the System Admin’s decision process as it realised something had gone wrong.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

Transference of new animal species to Gaia complete….

Detecting the presence of unforeseen entities….

Scanning….

The additional entities are determined to be humans….

They have already been incorporated into the System automatically….

Determining a course of action….

The humans cannot be returned to their dimension due to being altered….

This is unprecedented….

The humans are at a disadvantage for being inducted into the system so late….

Adding some special perks to accelerate their growth….

….

An unexpected opportunity has arrived due to the location of their arrival….

Initialising the experimental Quest function to aid the newcomers….

Generating a class quest for all individuals….

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

Myles read through the information a few times to make sure he understood the situation. The System made a mistake when it abducted animals from another dimension. It unintentionally brought along the humans who were present at the zoo. What exactly was the System? The last sentence was the only real clue, hinting that he might be inside a hyper-realistic role-playing game.

“How do I get rid of the virtual interface?”

Almost immediately after he spoke, the interface vanished. Myles stood up and carefully navigated the rocky terrain towards the edge of the island. As the waves crashed against the rocks below him, their turbulence seemed to mirror his mood. He was grappling with his new reality, trying to make sense of it all. Where was he supposed to go from here?

After a few minutes of indecision, he was suddenly hit by a realisation. Where were the other people who had also been at the zoo? And more importantly, where was Natasha? It was obvious that they were not on the island with him.

Myles was abruptly jolted from his thoughts when a fish propelled itself out of the water— mouth filled with menacing, sharp fangs— and attempted to latch onto his face. He threw himself backwards, landing heavily on the rocks to avoid his face being bitten. He scrambled backwards with his hands as the small fish flailed on the rocks.

What the hell kind of fish was that? It looked similar to a piranha, but he was sure they didn’t live in the ocean. Its face was extremely ugly, reminiscent of the most frightening clown face imaginable, which had been overlaid onto the fish's head.

Driven by his sudden anger towards the fish, and fueled by his overall frustration with the situation, he scanned his surroundings for an object to use in killing it. He reached out and his hand grasped a fist-sized, jagged rock. Cautiously, he approached the fish and aimed carefully. He brought down the rock, smashing its flailing body.

[Vile Clown Fish Killed: 10 exp earned.

New Skill discovered: Improvised Weapons (I) -  2%

To fully unlock this skill, continue using or making improvised weapons.]

“Now I have a different voice in my head. Wait, I received experience for killing the fish?”

[You may access your menu by speaking or thinking ‘Player Menu’.]

There was that voice again. Myles attempted to communicate with it but received no response. Perhaps it was for the best that he couldn't speak with it. The idea of having something in his head all the time was disconcerting.

Myles returned to the centre of the island and sat down next to Baron so he could browse his menu without the threat of being attacked by another sea creature. He opened his menu, and the virtual interface appeared again.

By default, his menu was set to the notifications tab, and judging from the information displayed, it recorded all the notifications he received from the voice in his head. At the top, there were several additional tabs that he could flip through to access more features.

Remembering that the System Admin had mentioned a quest, he decided to first check out his quests tab. With a mental command, he changed the tab. There was only a single quest available.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

Acquire the Hidden Legendary Class

Description: In order to acquire the hidden legendary class, the player must first escape from the zoo and venture across the island to find the throne before anyone else. Sitting on this throne will grant the player access to the coveted class. Be careful of the other ten individuals, as they may resort to extreme violence to get their own way.

Time Limit: n/a

Difficulty: A

Rewards: ???? Legendary Class

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

“What?”

Was the zoo displaced from his world as well? Why was he left stranded on some random island instead of being at the zoo with the others? Did that mean he was unable to take part in the race to find the hidden class?

Myles closed his menu and stood up. With great care, he scanned the horizon in every direction, searching for any sign. Eventually, his efforts paid off as he managed to spot some land in the distance. The challenge was how to reach it without a boat, as it must be at least a dozen miles away. Not to mention the presence of dangerous sea creatures in the ocean.

[You have received a new quest.]

Myles sat back down to see what he had just unlocked.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

Find a Way to Reach the Main Island.

Description: Myles Fisher finds himself unexpectedly far from the zoo’s location, with no apparent means of getting there. If he doesn't act quickly, he will miss the chance to compete for the legendary class. However, he still has time since his colleagues will find it challenging to escape from the zoo, as the animals have evolved and are more dangerous than ever.

Time Limit: Five Days

Difficulty: C

Reward: 2 Levels

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

“Story of my life,” Myles muttered.

Considering the distance he had to traverse, he considered himself to be the one at a disadvantage. Life had a way of kicking him in the balls. Although it was unfair, he knew that complaining about his situation wouldn't help him. He had to quickly adapt to his new reality.

He turned his head when he noticed some movement from the corner of his eye. Baron stirred, raising his head and looking around with a sleepy gaze. Myles suddenly became anxious as he thought about what he had learned about the zoo animals mentioned in the quest description. Baron had experienced a sudden growth spurt due to the changes made by the system. Would his personality have changed as well? Was he about to be abandoned again? He had already gone through the pain of being abandoned by his mother, sister, and girlfriend.

“Hey, buddy, it’s good to see you awake.” Myles's throat tightened as he extended his hand to gently caress Baron's head.

Baron let out a scream and instinctively pulled back, and Myles froze.

Baron raised his hand slowly and defiantly gestured with his middle finger, clearly expressing his anger at being knocked out. Myles chuckled with a sense of relief as he lifted the monkey up and hugged him to his chest.

[The player’s tamer skill has been activated: He has found a creature that can be tamed. This will use up the only available slot at the moment. Would you like to use it for Baron?]

Although Myles didn't have a complete understanding of the situation, he was willing to accept it if it meant that Baron would remain by his side. He mentally signalled his agreement.

[Baron (Capuchin Monkey[evolved]) has become the player’s tamed monster. For further details, check the player menu.]

“Do you know what’s going on Baron?” Myles asked as he placed Baron back down.

Baron nodded. He began inspecting himself after he realised that he had grown. Judging from his squeaks, he approved of the changes.

“I am going to need your help. We need to find a way off the island.”

Myles opened his menu and checked out his skills and traits tab this time.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

Traits

[IV] Accelerated Growth (Temporary)

[III] Monster Sense

In Progress Skills:

(I) Improvised Weapons - 1%

Skills

[IV] Tamer [Tattoo]

.⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽

As he understood it, when he focused on a specific skill or trait, he would get additional information. He carefully inspected each one in order to gain a deeper understanding of them.

The System Admin gave the new arrivals Accelerated Growth to facilitate their development. Their experience gains and skill acquisitions were increased by two hundred per cent for the next three months. He would need to ensure that he took full advantage of it.

Monster Sense would increase the likelihood of him gaining skills under the monster category, as well as improving their capabilities. No one skill was identical to another. Even if two people possess the same skill, there can still be notable differences between them. They could have odd quirks or added abilities, which could change how they functioned. Tamer was one of the skills that fell under this category.

With his Tamer skill, he had the ability to tame and command monsters, using them to perform specific tasks. The main purpose of this skill was to have monsters fight on his behalf, which seemed incredibly advantageous. His chances of survival would significantly improve if he could avoid engaging in battles with monsters himself. It made him question whether he had acquired it due to his natural ability with animals back on Earth.

His skill had a unique quirk—every monster he tamed manifested as a tattoo on his arm. In addition to being a storage space for his tamed monsters, the tattoos provided him with a slight increase in his parameters.

The Improvised Weapons skill was simple enough. It would improve his ability to deal damage with unconventional weapons found in the environment. Furthermore, it increased his skill in creating makeshift weapons using ordinary materials.

Myles closed the menu to see what Baron was doing. His companion had grabbed a sharp rock and was fashioning it into an improvised knife. While Myles had been lost in thought, Baron had already started to consider matters of survival. Perhaps Baron possessed his own set of skills that mirrored his talent for crafting tools. He would need to examine his companion's parameters later, but for now, he had to concentrate on a more pressing issue.

Before he could think about escaping from the island, his top priority was to obtain a source of water for both of them. The relentless sun beating down on his shoulders made him feel increasingly thirsty, so it wouldn’t be long before he was dehydrated.

Due to his current location, he had limited options available to him. There were no convenient rivers or streams on which he could use. With only seawater at his disposal, he had to figure out a method to remove the salt and make it drinkable.

Myles stood up, prepared to start working. Despite finding himself in such a difficult situation, he was going to make the best of it. With a world full of limitless possibilities, he was determined to experience them all.

So, what do you think of the first chapter of my original story? Please share your thoughts. Some things are still not set in stone, like the name of the world, and the title. Feel free to offer your own suggestions.

Thanks for reading.