The Red King

Awakening from his slumber, a red-haired man slowly crawled to his feet before looking at his surroundings. He saw that he was in an open field with blood-red grass and a red sky to compliment it. Not understanding what he was going on, he looked in circles to only find the same scene around him.

"Where am I... what is this?" He asked curiously as he attempted to draw his gun from his side. Feeling nothing but the fabric against his leg, the man looked down at where he had been touching.

Surprising him greatly, a firearm that was always been in that spot every day for years, was now nowhere to be seen.

"How did I get here?" He asked himself as he turned around only to be greeted by a giant black cute with a red circle in the center releasing a red light.

"What... didn't I see this thing come out of that anomaly? How is it here?" He asked himself more questions as he placed his hand onto the cube's surface to see if he was dreaming or not.

Letting his hand touch on the black surface of the cube, he noticed it was neither hot nor cold. It was simply warm to the touch, confusing him as he felt it should have been hotter after falling from the sky.

Determined to see if it was the same cube, the man, Cole, went around the giant cube that was about 30 meters in size. He felt its surface during different times in his test. This took what seemed like 20 minutes, yet what dumbfounded, him as he made it back to his assumed starting point, was the smooth feeling he felt all over the cube.

He was certain crashing into the ground like it did would give it some scratches if not dents. Yet it was completely smooth on the surface.

Just as he was about to ask himself another question he was interrupted when information flooded his mind. Feeling the sudden impartation of unknown symbols into his mind, Cole felt like he had a splitting headache and lost his balance a bit.

Taking a few steps back while holding his head, Cole felt his surroundings get warmer but not enough to harm him in any way. As he looked around he saw the flames of the surroundings surge towards him before curling around his body without burning him or his clothes.

While terrified of the situation, he felt the symbols in his mind change into English. Taking the time to learn the new information being revealed to him, he realized that he was able to make a wish with Pandora's Box.

"I know the wish I want..." he said as he looked towards the black cube and shouted. "I want to be strong enough to protect my family! That is my wish!"

Feeling the flames in his surroundings seep into his body, he began panicking as he thought that he would be burned alive from the inside out. Moments later, to his surprise, he felt that he had somehow gained control of the crimson fire.

Looking at his hands that were now covered in a red aura, he sighed as he came to the conclusion that the flames had become his power to wield in order to accomplish his wish.

Covering his hand in crimson flames he felt like he had become an entirely new person. Before he could comment though, he felt everything begin to go black as his consciousness was being ejected from that place. Just before his view turned black completely he saw something that he didn't understand.

[Initializing The Red King's System]

[5%]

...

Inside the ruined military camp~

"Kyle where is the squad leader?!" A man asked as he ran up to another soldier while looking around. The surroundings were dust-filled and chaotic, with hundreds of people yelling random things the area had almost no semblance of order.

As the two soldiers looked around for their squad leader, scientists around them asking for help recovering their work or freeing their colleagues from the rubble. The previously calm camp had become a place of disorder and madness.

"I don't know James, we need to find the other two so let's split up. You look for them and I will look for the squad leader. I'll radio yo-" the man who had spoken to the squad leader before, Kyle, was saying as a massive pillar of red light erupted into the sky.

Looking towards the pillar he and James were very confused, but remembering his job, he held up his assault rifle and started running to the source of the light with James following closely behind.

"Radio the other squad members to head towards that light!" He said urgently to James as they ran past dozens of foreign soldiers who were simply staring at the red light.

...

Taking a few minutes to weave through the collapsed buildings, fallen trees, and idle soldiers. Kyle and James arrived at the base of the red light.

Forming a half circle entrapment around it, lower rank troops, both American and foreign, were already present with their guns raised. The soldiers nervously waited for whatever was causing the light to show itself.

"Hold your fire!" Kyle said as he walked in front of the soldiers and up to the red light, just as he was about to issue a few orders to the American troops, a loud sigh and familiar voice heard from within the pillar. Shortly after, the top began to shatter into motes of red light, leaving a crimson red throne high in the sky.

Sitting on this throne was a giant figure wearing red armor. Crimson flames also danced around the arms of the chair while the figure on it just sat there like a lord looking over their subjects.

Moments later the throne and the figure disappeared instantly into motes of red light while at the base of the previous light pillar, the soldiers were all shocked as a man wearing a high-ranking military uniform.

Seeing the familiar head of red hair, Kyle took a step closer while speaking slowly.

"S-Squad leader? S-Sir?"

Hearing the questions of a person standing in front of him, the man with red hair let the fire dance around his palm before he closed it over the flame, effectively causing the fire to cease.

"This is definitely going to cause an uproar if there are others. First I need to deal with these guys." the man, Cole, mumbled as he crossed his arms and looked to the soldiers raising their guns in front of him.

"Yes, I know! Now be silent!" Cole shouted randomly, confusing everyone as they thought he had turned crazy.

"Squad leader?" The young soldier, Kyle, asked again as Cole fixed his glowing red eyes onto him. Though, the sudden but simple action from Cole, Kyle hurriedly raised his rifle towards him. This had caused Cole to frown but understanding the situation from their perspective, he simply issued a few orders.

"Kyle, James, the rest of you, I know you all have tons of questions, but now isn't the time for that. We need to rescue people in the camp and stabilize the situation. While you are doing that, you will send out orders using my name.

Have the nearest military base immediately find any disturbances in the area similar to what just happened here. I mean with the pillar of light and the throne, there should be others.

They are to send forces immediately and close off the area. If they find the people creating these pillars and thrones they need to try and isolate them from the public, peacefully, they shouldn't try to use force! Now go! I'll answer questions with the higher-ups later!" The Cole said fiercely as flames flared up around his body before disappearing instantly.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Kyle said as he saluted and turned to the other soldiers who, although extremely confused and scared, also saluted while looking at Kyle and James asking with their eyes if they were seriously following Cole's orders.

Unfortunately for them, they just saw both men nod at the same time. This quickly caused them to start breaking off into squads and begin spreading the orders of the highest rank military officer in their location, Cole, to every single American soldier present.

The ones who didn't speak English were still nervous and confused as the American soldiers left instantly after receiving their orders. They felt betrayed by the Americans for leaving. They were terrified and still raising their weapons towards the man in front of them who could seemingly control fire at will.

Looking at the foreign soldiers who were staring at him with a panicked look on his face, Cole simply shooed them away after a few minutes before taking out a cigarette and lighting it with his finger.

(Are you sure you want to explain your powers to people? You humans, you people aren't too understanding when it comes to foreign things) A man's monotone voice said in Cole's head.

"This will cause so many problems. And to answer your question, If I go to them first instead of lying and having it found out that way, they are more likely to not overreact," he said as he looked at the sky for a moment before shifting his focus in the direction of the impact zone for Pandora's box.

"I guess I'll go make sure nothing happens over there..." he said as he used a bit of the power inside of his body, causing a red aura to cover him from head to toe, before taking off into a light sprint towards the giant cube.

(You are getting the basics of using your power down, but you still need to work on it, Cole)

"I don't need comments on everything I do, I am nearly 40 years old. I believe I have enough life experience to learn something to an elementary level," he said as he took a puff of the cigarette one more time before allowing it to be completely burned with his flames.

"This really is a neat ability to have."

(AN: Join the discord if you want to speak with me more often! https://discord.gg/Q9KN5FEeQq )