Woah, this blew up quickly! What was to be a small side project suddenly turned into something bigger. Oh well, I have the time to write, so I best use it while I still can! Onto the reviews!

Wombag1786 - I admit, spacing things out is not my strong suit, but I am glad you liked the chapter despite that!

Guest - Glad you liked it. And don't worry about New Manchester for 2 reasons! Firstly, it will be explained in the chapter. Secondly- Child Worker: Oi, where those buggers at!? Me mean left hook is itchin' for a foight, an' I 'avent had me pipe o' smoke this whole week! Mum says it is 'bad for the lungs' but all I hear from me mum is her screamin' as she's getting ran over ten times in a row by carts back in London. Me grampa said he was never more at peace than when watchin' me mum get ran over. What a time to be alive, he said. Then he fockin' froze to death. - I... thanks, Timothy, for that oh so enlightening story.

Last admiral - Yes, exactly! I will actually be focusing on the whole development of New Manchester as it, and the Arks, are relocated to Falmart. And the gods can suck my ass, they will feel the wrath of [SPOILERS] spreading technology and quality British produce to all in Falmart! And it's not gonna be New Manchester doing it :O

Well, that seems to be it for now. Tune in for now as we see King Duran, the madman who survived a helicopter crash in the light novels, experience the crushing cold of Earth.

EARTH: SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM NEW MANCHESTER, 6:30 PM

KING DURAN OF ELBE P.O.V

These otherworlders truly were strange. Covered in clothes made from the finest fur, King Duran and his men went through the Gate, to verify the claims of the otherworlders. Even after only seconds on the other side, he could instantly feel the weight of their claims slowly sinking him into the endless snow before him. So much snow, ice and barely any vegetation. Dead trees here and there, slowly but surely being covered by continuously falling snow.

As of now, they were clutching their guides on some sort of strange sleds which moved by themselves. Exploratores Quintus had told him that these sleds were called the 'Mark II Engine-powered Sleds'. When asked what it meant, the Exploratores admitted to not knowing much, simply knowing the name. The otherworlders talked from time to time in their strange language, seeming unusually happy for people who lived in a festering hellscape.

"My king. I guess this is your answer to what we had to endure." Said the man whom Duran learned was Marcus, turning around his head slightly, his voice raised due to the howling wind.

"Indeed it is. What I wonder is if you had known that it would be this desperate." Duran asked. A rather reasonable question. One which Oswald answered.

"Well, my king, to answer that, you must understand that Hell is hot, almost as hot as the Sun. And we've been told that since birth. But now? Hell has frozen over." The words spoken were very simple, yet carried weight. One would not joke about Hell and get away with it easily in the presence of others. Considering what Duran and his men had seen thus far, he dared not challenge that saying. If this was true, then the claims of a cataclysmic Storm held some truth behind them. A grim thought, unfit for a king such as himself at present. Finally, they could see the outline of the massive hole in the ground where one of the towns was supposedly located. Honestly, a small part of him expected to see huts barely standing up, and less than one hundred men, women and children combined, if only to at least disprove the thoughts that his mind held. But that was to no avail. Smoke rose from the hole triumphantly, and as soon as they got close enough, he was left shocked.

It was a sprawling city, with smoke coming out from almost everywhere, the houses of wood and metal standing resolute, strong and steadfast against the winds that struck him and his bodyguards. The large tower of black metal produced the bulk of the smoke, and the only beings as tall as the tower were six metal beasts, identical to the one he had seen at Alnus Hill, which was left behind at the Gate. Most of all, he could see large bloated beasts of leather rise high into the sky, one by one. They were speechless. They commanded such beasts with ease, and yet they never even once considered taking Alnus Hill by force. It was as if they didn't care, tried to rationalize Duran. And those three legions... by the God Emroy, it would've been a bloodbath.

They approached a natural decline in the ground, large enough for something big to pass through and into the city, before going past it. It was even bigger from inside the hole. The city itself was a far cry from most cities on Falmart, at least when it came to decorations. But in terms of overall architecture, the size of each individual home, and smart use of limited space, Falmart truly was beaten.

As the group of ten dismounted the sleds at the edge of the city, where a decently sized metal pedestal stood, a rope going high into the sky, the guests of honour simply followed their academic guides. It seemed that the whole community was alive, always doing something, in constant motion. They passed through archways of thin steel, similar to the large tower in appearance, and functionality, yet noticabely smaller. King Duran, however, did notice the odd looks the otherworlders were giving him and his men. It was their first time seeing someone from Falmart.

Only but three minutes of walking to the tower away, one of their guides stopped, and turned around.

"My king, you must excuse us, but we need to talk with our colleagues. Neville will show you around, if you would like." Stated Oswald, before getting a nod from Neville. The rest of the group excused themselves, and walked away.

"Since we're here, I suggest we eat at one of the Cookhouses." Neville suggested, with all agreeing, the group could hear, and see, a man shout at the top of his lungs. He wore a dark blue coat that stretched to his legs, and had a bushy moustache, yet not bushy enough at the same time. Sir Neville seemed to have recognized the man, and as the two got closer, they embraced themselves into a hug of friendship, both laughing.

"Harris, my good friend! I hope you like New Manchester. Ain't how you remember it, eh?"

"Bloody hell, Neville, it's better than I could've imagined! We'll forever be in your debt, and you know it. You practically saved us."

"It's what anyone would've done. Anyway, Harris, as crazy as this might sound, I'd like to introduce you to some... peculiar, guests." Neville said, with Harris raising an eyebrow in confusion. Soon after, however, he got the message. The first person was pretty normal, all things considered, whilst the second one with the eyepatch looked like some sort of noble. "Mind you, none of them speak English."

With all being said, Neville started introducing them. Explaining that a handshake was a customary sign in Earth's culture was easy, as the group of five warriors understood what they needed to do. As it slowly got darker and darker, with the Sun setting down, many lights in the city flickered to life at a moment's notice. The aging king kept his composure, but to say he wasn't curious about the lights was an understatement. They produced no flame which he could see, no flame he could feel, and no flame that could burn him.

EARTH: NEW MANCHESTER, 7:08 PM

OSWALD P.O.V

Oswald got mixed feelings at first. Everyone was in disbelief at the latest discovery, and what Oswald had claimed sounded preposterous, and spat in the face of science. Educated men should be pursuing facts was their philosophy. Their opinions changed radically, when Oswald showed them a picture: the one time George's obsession for photography made things easier.

"Is that... a dragon in the background? And those trees... those only grow in moderate climates." The Captain, Robert, and the Captain of New Manchester, Lewis, were in shock. Lewis still tried to wrap his head around these news, but Robert already knew what this meant. It meant that not only could their mission be carried out without worrying about the Great Winter... New Manchester could safely be evacuated and moved. Civilization could be rebuilt. Entire Dreadnoughts restored. Steam Cores made. But most importantly: Earth would have a secure future. He looked at Oswald dead in the eyes, and asked his final question.

"All we have to do is get on the good side of this... king Duran, to settle beyond the Gate, correct?" And to his satisfaction, Oswald nodded, but did add something.

"He and his allies will tolerate us. Their 'Empire' won't. I will try and get him to delay the Empire for as long as possible, but there are zero guarantees-"

"This is the best chance we will get, Oswald. This is the best chance humanity will ever have of surviving this calamity. We need to cross through." Robert urged, those around him finally catching on to the weight of this discovery. Slowly, yet surely, they raised their voices to support Robert.

"If they won't allow us to settle, we'll settle by force!"

"I am not having my only child live in a land where a single Storm can kill him!"

"To hell with those beyond the Gate if they deny us the Hill! We'll cut through a thousand of them if we must!"

"Calm yourselves!" Shouted Lewis, finally managing to calm everyone down. He was a broad shouldered man, with some experience in leading, thanks in part due to him being a former factory Foreman, with his father being a commander of a squad in the Army somewhere in Australia. He was reported dead the moment the Storm hit from the south. "There are joyous news indeed, but it is hasty to talk of evacuating New Manchester at this time. We need to first tell the people, then make a detailed plan of action, for both possibilities: either we enter peacefully, or by force."

"I bet my last remaining twenty pounds that James still has those experimental Automaton blueprints that the Army commissioned. The bastard Martin Ward wanted to use 'em in India. God smite us all if he survived." Muttered out one of the engineers that came with Robert. Oswald sighed, and stepped up a little.

"Lewis has a point. It's too early to say anything. I will first need to talk to king Duran about our safe passage. If he accepts, then I need to ask of him a big favour, and that is to delay the Empire as much as possible, so that we're at least settled before they come. There's also the three lost legions roaming around somewhere. Considering we didn't find them anywhere, it's a safe bet to say that they went through the South Pass. If we can get their support, we might just be able to stay afloat longer until we ourselves get a garrison force going."

"Then it's settled." Lewis said, with Robert deciding to continue. "We tell the people tomorrow that we have found this Gate, and have a talk with king Duran right after. Go find Neville, Oswald. Rest up, and meet us at, say , half past five in the morning."

EARTH: NEW MANCHESTER, 6:00 AM

KING DURAN P.O.V

It was six in the morning. Everyone was gathered as near to the black tower as they could. Hell, he could barely count how many people there were. At least over four thousand. From what he had been told, the ships which carried them could not have transported so many people, let alone manage return trips to compensate due to the time constraints. So how this whole city gained such a population was a mystery, even to the otherworlders. He was behind the small wooden platform which was erected on short notice, standing resolute, yet on the sidelines. He understood no word that the otherworlders spoke, and as such, both parties decided it was best for him to simply stay silent. As the gathered crowd silenced, three figures were now on the platform, each holding some sort of tool which amplified their voices, without the use of magic.

"Attention, citizens! I am terribly sorry to have gathered you all on such a short notice, especially today, when I had promised you all a day free of work, but this must be addressed. You all know how we were saved at the last moment by our friends, the brave professors of Oxford and Cambridge from before the Great Winter. Now, they return to not only help us rebuild that which was, quite sadly, but quite thankfully, lost in small quantity, they return with news most wonderful! Sir Oswald, the stage is yours."

The man said, taking a few steps back as to allow Oswald, his group's guide, to speak.

"I thank you, Captain. In all my years as professor at Cambridge University, and member of the Royal Society before the Great Winter, I have seen it all. From wonderful projects which blossomed into what we use to this day, to ludicrous ones which were discarded by time. But never have I seen something like what I, and some of my colleagues, have seen two days ago. Near the city in which we live, we found a most curious structure, almost as if it was embedded into the icy glacier itself. We found a survivor, desperate for warmth, and searching for his friends. We took him in, fed him, healed him of illnesses, and welcomed him. And he brought us back to the structure we found him near. He said that wonders awaited us beyond, and out of curiosity, listened. For the first time since the Great Winter began, we were left stunned, as our thermometers went above 0C. Eventually, we were on the other side. It was just like Earth should've been at this day and age, except much cleaner, much greener, and much, much richer!" The words he spoke caused the people to grow interested. It sounded preposterous, but they had helped New Manchester before, and for what reason would they lie? So, he continued, uninterrupted.

"As of now, we are currently negotiating with the locals on settlement rights, but I can assure you, all of you will have a roof over your heads there, with no worry for the cold, and no threat of extinction. I am happy to say... we have outlasted the Great Winter!" A massive wave of cheers erupted throughout the entire city, so much so that King Duran could hear every one of the otherworlders cheer out of pure joy. But as the cheers continued, a loud sound soon rang out, originating from the tower behind. Duran and his men tensed up, and went for their swords, but were stopped by Exploratores Quintus.

"My king, that was the tower. It had just signalled the people to quiet down." Furrowing his eyebrows, Duran doubted the man's explanation, but accepted it for now. With him seathing his half drawn-out sword, the bodyguards followed suit. The third man, the friend of Oswald, spoke up.

"It may take a few days for us to finish negotiations, and even longer to move everyone from New Manchester to this brave, new land. But we can assure you that we will get there. Which is why I bring this up now. There are over thirty thousand people from the new land lost in the icy wastes of the Arctic, and they have been lost for four days now. Returning them to their homes would go a long way in helping us achieve what we want. We need volunteers to go search for them, where ever possible. Each Scout Team will have one of us as interpreters, for they do not speak our language. That would be all."

And as the man finished, many sprang into action. Duran had been getting a rough translation of what was being said by another of the academics, and as such, couldn't but simply stare. They seeked a diplomatic solution to their settlement conundrum, yet, very subtly, the man known as Robert told everyone that they were more than ready to take land by force. And judging from the sound of cheers which still rang in his head, that sentiment was shared by many. They alone probably wouldn't be enough to defeat the Allied Kingdoms, but if they somehow recruited those lost legions... they stood a fighting chance. Duran wasn't afraid of battle, far from it. He was worried of what their iron beasts could do to his men. Negotiations were going to be rough, he was sure of it...

FALMART: ALNUS HILL, 8:14 AM

PRINCESS PINA CO LADA P.O.V

"What!?"

"I am sorry, my lady, but King Duran has went through the Gate to make contact with the otherworlders in helping find the lost legions." One of the officers from the Elbe Kingdom to the third princess of the Saderan Empire.

Princess Pina was sent, by her father, Molt Sol Augustus, emperor of the Saderan Empire, to see what was happening near the Gate, as there was no report from any messenger on the status of the supposedly lost legions. The bulk of her order of knights was still days away, but she came with an advance party to Alnus Hill post haste.

"The king has no reason to cross the Gate! He could have forced those savages to search for them without needing to cross through." The princess argued.

"I understand, my lady. The other leaders of the Allied Kingdoms share your sentiment. But he has expressed his wish to verify outlandish claims the otherworlders put forward himself. Besides, my lady, they had a great beast of iron by their side... and an Exploratores, who trusted them." The officer tried reasoning with the princess, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Fool... the only one with beasts of iron is the god Duncan. And so what if an Exploratores was-" Pina attempted to retort, but she was grabbed by her shoulder. One of her knights, and mentor since early days, Grey, looked at her.

"I can see he tells the truth, princess. I may not understand the king's decision, but it was his. I would have supported you had every other leader of the Allied Kingdoms crossed through." Grey said, calming Pina down. But her aide, Hamilton, another knight of the Rose Order, spoke up.

"Then why have you stopped sending peoole through? We need to find those legions." And in response, the officer only shook his head.

"The men are too scared, my lady. The otherworlders left one of the iron beasts directly on the other side. It would be suicide to march through, even with an army. I heard one of the otherworlders say that their beasts can rip apart a man's arm or leg just by stepping on them with their thin, metallic legs."

It was precisely that which Pina couldn't understand. No beast but the Ancient Fire Dragon was unbeatable, so why the worry? The description she had gotten out of the officer was nonsensical, at best. Over fifteen meters in height, if his estimation was correct, with a giant, bulky body. It possessed no visible eyes, yet still knew where to go and when to turn. It was simply too big, and could just barely pass through the Gate. Men claimed it was real but the beast was nowhere to be seen, other than on the other side of the Gate. Exploring the other side without the rest of her knights was out of the question, but that never meant that a scout couldn't be sent. She just needed a willing one. If the Allied Kingdoms wouldn't send one, she would. Being as near to the Gate as they were, Grey, Hamilton and Pina started hearing... something. The trio collectively turned towards the Gate, each of them visibly tense. The sound only got louder and closer, reminiscent of something heavy clicking off the ground. They saw a light approaching them, which prompted the elder knight and the two female knights to fully unseathe their swords, now in a combat stance. They only dropped out of it upon seeing what was crossing the Gate. It was a large monster, over fifteen meters tall, a flame burning at its core, with smoke rising from its top. The four legs triumphantly stomped the ground, yet did so with some level of care.

"Is that...?" Hamilton asked, her voice suddenly feeling shaky.

"The beast of iron..." Grey silently said, eyeing the large creature carefully. It looked faithful to the description the troops had given them. So if it was this dangerous... why did it ignore them? The soldiers were feeling on edge, some even considered running if it came after them, but it never did. It slowly but surely walked into the distance, like it was... exploring. The possibility of the otherworlders using these creatures to scout the lands of the Empire crossed Pina's mind, and for but a moment, she seized a tiny window of opportunity.

"Bring it down to the ground! We cannot allow it to reach a settlement!" The princess yelled out, the frightened men choosing to obey, for whatever reason their minds tried to come up with. They ran at the beast and attempted to cut its legs: no use, the swords struck true, but kept doing nothing. They tried holding down one of its legs: alas, it did not work. Worse yet, one of the soldiers had gotten his entire right leg removed by the left hind leg of the beast, the man screaming out of pain, rushed back to camp by his comrades.

So they tried with their Wyvern Riders to tie the legs with a rope: and surprisingly, it had worked. The beast stopped dead in its tracks. At least until it moved its legs unnaturally. They moved forward, bringing the beast down, but the legs bended forward as well, in its own twisted idea of 'forward'. The rope, under such stress, gave up and snapped, prompting the creature to get back to its normal height, and continue the trek. The leaders of the Allied Kingdoms soon got word of what Pina had attempted to do, and swiftly took control back from her. They had explicit orders from the Grand Marshall who was elected by them, who turned out to be King Duran himself, to not bring harm to the beasts should they ever be seen in the lands. Pina attempted to argue, with Hamilton at her side, but it was worthless, and Grey saw it. They would talk later on the matter.

FALMART: ALNUS HILL, 8:18 AM

THE DAUNTLESS PIONEER

If. Legs. Obstructed =1

Clear. Obstruction

If. Obstruction. Cleared = 1

Continue. Exploration

Difference. Engine. Calculation. Complete

Calculation. Error = 0

If. Calculation. Error = 0

Restore. Coal. Reserve = True

Recall. For. Resupply. Interval. Set. 1530

Accident. Injury. Subject. Human = True

Reduce. Walk. Speed = False

Calculate. Road. Pathfinding. Until. Resupply. Interval = 1