!

A year ago there was nothing but an empty field that is frozen during the winter and dry during spring and summer. It’s where a plan city was built, a city fully funded and has all the resources delivered to it by the Klabautermanns of the Russian Empire. Where the rich and powerful who care only for their own wealth and power, the status quo have no say or power. Empress Sunset has seen to that, and given the dreamers a place where they could create, wonders.

“Have you ever wondered what would happen… if all the geniuses, the artists, the scientists, the… smartest, most creative people in the world… decided to actually change it? But where? Where could they even do such a thing? They'd need a place, free from politics, bureaucracy, distractions… Greed… A secret place. Where they could build whatever they were crazy enough to imagine.”

Those are the woods written in stone and placed in front of the main entrance of the walled city. The city is built around the laboratory built for Tesla where he works on his inventions and study of the wisdom cube and other magic objects. The city is named Groznyj Grad.

Groznyj Grad is a significantly immense city and military base. There are ten major areas of the city/base.

The central laboratories, where all the real work is done.

The 2 residential districts, where most of the homes and apartments are located. Also the schools, hospitals, parks, and other public institutions are located.

The business district, where most of the stores and markets are located.

The industrial district, where the factories are located.

The utility district, where the power plant, water treatment plant, waste plant, and other utilities to keep the city running is located.

The government district, where the government buildings, police, fire department, and others are located.

The transportation district, where the train station is located and the airport, with blocks of warehouses.

The 2 military bases that are centered around two warships made into bases.

Chkalov the newly built aircraft carrier, station next to the transportation district. She was purposely built to be a floating laboratory along with being an aircraft carrier. Once she was summon as a long grey haired busty woman in a labcoat over her uniform, the copies of her helped out in the laboratories while also providing security.

Tri Sviatitelia, a pre-dreadnought battleship is station near the main entrance of the city. Her copies help guard the city, with the other Klabautermanns who have been stationed at the city. Her base is also where the secret police is station.

Sunset had restarted the secret police the Okhrana that her father started. Many former members of the secret police rejoined and are working with the Klabautermanns, to stamp out any potential threat to the empire. And by using magic to get people to tell the truth, there aren’t any mistakes and unlike before they’re taken care of permanently or used as force labor and test subjects. As Sunset isn’t even pretending to care about keeping up appearances of giving the the rights and protection of the very government that someone or a group is planning on overthrowing, she’s not going to banish them, she’ll make them disappear. (2)

Dvina, the former royal yacht has been place in charge of the city’s government and commands the other Klabautermanns station in the city. She is concise and takes a business-like attitude in running the city, like how Sunset does with the empire.

The sister ships Evstafi and Ioann Zlatoust, pre-dreadnought battleships

Askold depot ship

Pruitki, destroyer / torpedo boat destroyer

The sister ships, Leytenant Shestakov, Kapitan Saken, Kapitan-leytenant Baranov, and Leytenant Zatsarenny, destroyers

There is a legion of 800 Roman Klabautermanns, who oversee the human soldiers. The human soldiers are the new military with all the old guards gone to start anew. They’re trained as Roman soldiers, to create a well disciplined army, and with the new factories they’re well supplied unlike the old army. The few military officers who had stayed loyal are placed in administrative roles, while the Russian and Roman Klabautermanns are the field officers.

The city of Groznyj Grad with the promise of funding and resources, attracted many international scientists, scholars, engineers, and others. The catch is that they have to show they have to show they can actually do what they claim to do if they want funding and being able to live in the city. As Tesla had said that Thomas Edison took credit for many inventions that people who work for him created, himself included. Having assessments every few years to show that they’re doing something with the funding and resources given to them, for their sole projects or team projects. (3)

The other draw is the new magic school that taught the basics of magic and alchemy. But seeing how alchemy and chemistry are so alike, they been placed in the same department. The classes are taught by Klabautermanns who have learned to use magic. The classes teaches advance mathematics, which is needed to be able to calculate formulas to make magic work. So people who are able to do advance mathematics are searched for from all over the empire.

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Haiti occupied by the United States -

Philippe Sudré Dartiguenave the president of Haiti, is meeting with the American Klabautermanns who have gone on strike like the rest of the fleet. They were part of the military force that’s been occupying the island, and been largely friendly with the people and helping out here and there. The Americans upon losing their ships have been bunkering down and been keeping quiet, as the American Klabautermanns made it known that they’re not going to stand by if something happens.

The newspapers are filled with stories of the American Klabautermanns defending the non whites and killing, even destroying towns and large parts of cities once angered. The Klabautermanns have settled in either American Indian reserves, black and other non white communities, where they used their abilities to help the people who need it.

The American Klabautermanns who are native Americans are making the news as they kick out the agents of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or just killed them by impaling them and leaving them as warning. As agents been embezzling the money and resources that are supposed to be going to the tribes, so they either killed them or kicked them out after crippling them, mostly by cutting off their arms and cutting out their tongues. They also freed the children from the boarding schools and either killed or cripple the abusive staff, who abused the children, rape them and killed them. (4)

Dartiguenave has been working in finding anyone who can use magic or magic objects and gotten the American Klabautermanns to help out by seeing if someone or something has magic. He also has them working on improving the infrastructures of the island while they’re staying on the island as payment for room and board. They agreed to the terms and been working the jobs as being on strike meant that all of them are jobless and could be hired. And they’re the key to strengthening the country.

His plan is copied by others where there could be American Klabautermanns found. All hoping to gain the loyalty of the American Klabautermanns who aren’t happy with their country’s treatment of women and non whites.

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Korea -

Everything has been set as instructed by Sunset for the ritual, the torches are set and wood logs with the runes carved on them are all set around an alter. The monks and priestess have all practiced the song, the musicians have also practiced the music. The ritual could be just be a small one and not the big show and dance as Sunset calls it, but the show is for both making a statement but also a presentation to the rest of the world.

Stepping through the magic mirror that acted as a doorway, Standart and a number of Klabautermanns came through the mirror before Sunset steps through along with her grandmother Maria. She’s dressed for show and wore the crown of Dusk. There to greet the Russian Empress is Sunjong of Korea, personal name Yi Cheok, also known as the Yunghui Emperor, he held a decorated gold scepter. He took his position as Sunset casted the same spell that allowed people across Europe to see and hear her. This time it has been expanded to the capitals of other countries in Asia, Africa, and other island nations that has a Russian embassy or post.

“I am empress Sunset Shimmer Romanov, of the Russian Empire. I have allied with Yi Cheok the emperor of Korea, whose kingdom was invaded by Japan. My forces have driven them off and Korea is once again free. To cement our alliance, I gift the Yunghui Emperor with the ability to summon and command Korean Klabautermanns, along with the captured Japanese warships,” Sunset explains to her audience.

The scene changed to show the docks that held the captured Japanese warships that are now flying the Korean flag, along with a newly built Russian warship. (5)

“And he isn’t alone,” Sunset said as she revealed other rulers of different Asian kingdoms who agreed to the alliance and to kick out the Europeans.

Former emperor of Vietnam, Thành Thái, he held a ceremony sword.

King Vajiravudh of Siam, is wearing an amulet made of gold with a purple jewel in the middle.

Puyi the former Xuantong Emperor of China, held a new Heirloom Seal of the Realm, made from jade.

All of them are standing with an escort of their loyal soldiers and followers in their nations at secured ports being shown by their own screens in the air, with Russian and Roman Klabautermanns for protection. All of them standing in front of a newly made Russian warship, that has been gifted to their nations to serve as their flagship. The alters, runes and other things needed for the ritual have all been setup.

“I decided to extend my offer of an alliance with other kingdoms. All agreed to allow a Russian port to be built in the nations and trade deals. In exchange for their own fleets of Klabautermanns and protection against any hostile forces. And any enemy warships can be added to said fleets once captured. I’m changing the rules and beginning a new genesis,” Sunset explains.

Sunset’s crown of Dusk glowed along with the runes on the alters began glowing and the torches were all lit. She began to sing the song to awaken the new fleets, the monks and priestesses all began chanting as the musicians began playing the song they all have been practicing. The kings and emperors also took their places as the magical objects they held all glowed as well.

“We can choose the way of our future”
“Try a brand new path, if I change the world”
“If I change the world”

Sunset sang as she held out her hands as she began to dance.

“Say goodbye to everyone who stands against us”
“No one has the power to stop a change that come through music”
“No, you can't stop magic”
“Close your eyes and you can see the future before you”
“Every note I sing is bringin' you closer to your purpose”
“Once you're there, don't let go”

The ships in the docks for the four allied kingdoms all glowed as the summoning magic began to transform them into Klabautermanns.

“You wanna play a real game, unfurl the chain”
“Melody strung out like we're walkin' on a tight rope”
“Don't wanna try, don't wanna cry, wanna forget”
“Just wanna live inside a dreamland”
“I wanna be free”
“And let a brand new era dawn”
“I know that we can”
“Create a new world!”

The Russian built battleships given to the 4 kingdoms all transformed into tall, busty, amazons, all powerful looking and beautiful to behold. All of them look European thanks to being built in Russian shipyards, but all of them are dressed in the navy uniforms of the 4 Asian kingdoms. They summon their rigs that took the form of mechanical eastern dragons, long serpent metal bodies with guns mounted on them.

“We can choose the way of our future”
“Try a brand new path, if I change the world”
“If I change the world”
“This boundless music brings transformation”
“Messages in song reach even further”
“This dream will come true”
“I believe in you”

The warships both on the docks began glowing and bursting out of the sea came warships of the 4 kingdoms present and the past. The turtle ships of Korea, the ships from the Ming treasure voyages, and many more. All following suit of the flagships of their kingdoms.

“Say goodbye to everything that's weighing you down”
“Transcend beyond reality to colorful worlds of music”
“We need to keep on rising”
“Close your eyes and take my hand, we're runnin' together”
“We don't have to live like this, I know we can all do better”
“I sing for liberation”

The ships all transformed into Asian women with some European women and other foreign women thanks to some being built elsewhere or reflecting the races that live in the area where they came from. All of them are dressed in either naval uniforms or in armor from the different eras that they came from. All of them are beautiful, with voluptuous but slender bodies.

“You wanna play a real game, unfurl the chain”
“Melody lighting up the path to new horizons”
“Don't wanna try, don't wanna cry, wanna forget”
“Just wanna live inside a dreamland”
“I wanna be free”
“And let a brand new era dawn”
“I know that we can”
“Create a new world!”

They faced their kings and emperors who held the magic object that both summons and lets the one who hold it command them. As one they all bowed to their rulers showing their loyalty to their monarchs, including the mechanical dragons. Causing the people of their nations to be moved by the display showing the monarchs can command dragons.

“We can choose the way of our future”
“Try a brand new path, if I change the world”
“If I change the world”
“This boundless music brings transformation”
“Messages in song reach even further”
“Reach even further”
“A new genesis”

Sunset finishes the ritual with the vast fleets of hundreds of thousands of ships being summoned at once.

“A new genesis”

Sunset looks at the faces of the European rulers and leaders, all stun seeing that she has changed the balance of power in Asia. With the Asian kingdoms lacking the firepower of a navy, the European powers been able to just do what they wanted. But now Sunset that many of them are related to has given 4 of the kingdoms their own Klabautermanns and given the monarchs of those kingdoms to command at their wills.

“They are now allied with the Russian empire and any attack on them will be seen as an act of war. I will not interfere with my allies internal affairs or tell them how to handle the foreign governments who have been occupying their kingdoms. Talk to them but know this, I will unleash the full might of my empire on any nation that attacks them,” Sunset said as she shuts down the world wide broadcast.

Sunset only said goodbye to her new allies and went back into the mirror portal, leaving the kings and emperors to talk with their new fleets of Klabautermanns. They had already made all the arrangements and deals before hand and there wasn’t anything left to be said. The Russian and Roman ships that are already with the Asian rulers would stay and help to arm and supply the new Klabautermanns with modern weapons and equipment, all apart of the deal.

Once her party all return back to the private quarters of the royal palace, Sunset finally lets go of the magic spell she’s been using to strengthen and energized her body for the large summoning. Sunset fell as arms grabbed her falling body and held her. The last sight she saw before she blacked out is the worried face of her grandmother Maria.

!

In Sunset’s room -

Having strip her of her clothes and putting on her night clothes, Sunset was laid on her bed. Standart stands near her mistress and Maria sits beside the bed. The spell has drained Sunset and will take her a long time to recover her strength. But with the display and showing no weaknesses in front of the world and her empire, she showed the image of power.

“She will recover in time,” Baba Yaga said entering the room.

“She told me it would be draining for her to use that much magic at once,” Maria said.

“Your granddaughter knew what it would do to her, but you know that showing strength and power is just apart of politics,” Baba Yaga said.

“I know, done that with the noble houses. Sunset really changed things with her not caring about having support from the other houses,” Maria said.

“She doesn’t need them but seeing how she has us,” Standart spoke up. “Besides I doubt that if the Bolsheviks would had allowed the aristocratic houses to maintain their power or influence.” (6)

“But they do help,” Maria said looking at the sleeping form of her granddaughter and wonders how much she will change Russia and the rest of the world.

!

Author's Note

1 - Formed to combat political terrorism and left-wing politics and revolutionary activity, the Okhrana operated offices throughout the Russian Empire, as well as satellite agencies in a number of foreign countries. It concentrated on monitoring the activities of Russian revolutionaries abroad.

2 - Yes Sunset in this story rules with an iron fist where she will have people be killed along with their families. She doesn’t mess around or show mercy to those who want to overthrow her. But comparing to what happened in real life when the Soviet’s were in charge and all that happen because of them. She’s the lesser evil.

Like how in this story the Ottoman Empire doesn’t fall apart and the mess that the Middle East is in the real world, doesn’t happen.

3 - Thomas Edison did took credit for many inventions that he didn’t create.

4 - The Bureau of Indian Affairs, has a very dark history in the treatment of the native Americans.

And remember this story takes place during the time where Jim Crow laws and other injustices to non whites happen out in the open. Unlike a reader who wants to pretend that non of that ever happen and I should write a made up past that never had racist injustice happen to non whites.

5 - Warships of other countries that have been captured and claimed can be summon as Klabautermanns of that country. Like what happens in real life with captured warships.

6 - The aristocratic houses of Russia after the Soviet’s took over, either fled, killed, or lost everything.