Opération Marteau de Justice was a premiere in many aspect. Obviously it was the first time in recorded history that a portal linking two worlds opened, but from the perspective of commanding officer, it was the fact that we had not a single clue on where we were. Even when NATO was operating thousands of kilometers away from Europe, we still had maps, drones, planes... But here, none of it was available. Our only way in the Special Region was and still is the Gate, a way just large enough to make two tanks pass side by side and as tall as a roman temple, so anything that need to go on the other side needs to be disassembled and put on a truck. And even after that you have to build a complete airbase, so we couldn't rely on air reconnaissance in the first phase of the deployment. But we still needed to recon the area. So, for the first time in a NATO operation, we had to send Recon Teams to locate any important locations in a circle of around 50 km around Alnus Hill and to establish if possible a pacific first contact with the local population.
Those teams were composed of twelve soldiers : 3 of each nation present during the first phase of the operation. Each team had 3 vehicles : a Humvee in a "transport" configuration, an armored VBL with a 12.7mm Browning machine gun mounted on it and a small Peugeot P4. This configuration was chosen based on overall movement speed rather than on the armor or on the fire power while not sacrificing it. In fact some officers had the idea of sending recon vehicle like a AMX-10RC, but having a 15t steel behemoth enter your village when you don't even know what a car is might not be the best first impression.
When I said we didn't knew where we were, it's also true that we didn't knew what was in the Special Region. We saw in Paris that there was species that matched the description of species of heroic-fantasy, so we were expecting almost everything. So we had to compensate for the lack of fire power by giving each patrol several AT-4 rocket launcher and anti-armor ammunition for the Browning, just to be sure that any threat met could be dealt with.
But when we were imagining threats, we didn't imagined a dragon bigger than an apartment building.
Almost everyone heard about it at the time, when I confirmed the rumors of local civilians being killed while under the protection of one of the recon team. It made a lot of fuss, everyone having a thing to say about how to do our job without even knowing what really happened.
To put it in a nutshell, a few days after the first incursion in the Special Region, the third recon team had discovered the existence of the Fire Dragon after he had burned down an entire elf village. Before going back to base, the team decided to pass through a village to indicate the danger and escort them to safety, but the dragon attacked them.
Extract of General LaPointe's interview for french TV, November 2026
Junction between Tessalia Highway and Coda Road, November 8th 2016, 1617hours AT
« BATTLE STATION ! »
The shock caused by the surprise appearance of such a massive monster made Cavendish stand there, paralyzed.
In front of him, the villagers directly next to the dragon were trying to flee before being crushed, eaten or worse burned alive.
The screams.
The terror.
The pain.
« Cavendish ! What the fuck are you doing ? Shoot that thing ! » yelled Gomez, trying to pass his M16A4 through the VBL's window
« Huh... R...Right ! »
With his shaking right hand, he grabbed the arming lever of the Browning and pulled it back. The sound attracted the look of the few villagers lucky enough to escape the breath of the giant beast passing next to the armored car that was trying to rendezvous with the rest of Recon Team 3.
Most of the villagers were under the shadow of the dragon, running for their life with the energy of despair.
A woman trying to protect her children was the current target of the monster. Her baby in her arms, she saw the clawed hand of the Fire Dragon going towards her. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the impact, knowing that everything ended know.
But the impact never came.
Instead, what came was the loud sound of thunder.
Opening her eyes, she didn't expected the view of the men in green daring to fight the monster in their metal carriages.
« Aim for the belly ! It might be unprotected ! » shouted Anthony as he emptied the whole magazine of his FAMAS towards the giant lizard.
But the .50 cal armor piercing rounds didn't have any effect different from getting its attention.
Seeing those small green boxes trying to hurt it made the dragon take off and land on a more open space, like as a challenge launched toward those who dared fight.
A challenge that RCT3 accepted without hesitation.
« No effect on target ! » yelled Cavendish.
« I don't care ! Keep firing ! Give enough time to the villagers to flee ! » yelled back the Lieutenant.
At the back of the Humvee, the villagers were terrified by the dragon that might kill them, by the sudden high speed of the car and by the loud sound of the rifles.
Those sounds were loud enough to wake up the girl that was sleeping under her covers.
She was completely lost. Where was she ? Does someone saved her from the well ? But her interrogations were cut short by a familiar roar.
The roar of the Fire Dragon.
Almost by reflex, she stood up ready for anything, without noticing that she was naked. She was in a strange vehicle which occupants were trying to fight the dragon with metallic wands. It was obvious that they didn't knew the only weak spot of the dragon.
At the same time, the mouth of the beast was starting to change color. It was turning orange, the colour of fire.
« Breath incoming ! SPREAD ! » yelled Anthony
Almost immediately each vehicle took a different direction, forcing the dragon to choose a target.
The target chosen by the dragon was the fastest of those strange green creatures, the Peugeot P4. For it, blowing fire to a prey was something normal. For everyone else, it was an impressive demonstration of power.
The flame got sent directly toward the car, but a swift move by Marc allowed the P4 to dodge the fire. Even at a safe distance, everyone in the jeep felt the heat.
« We can't survive that shit ! » yelled Clark through the net.
« Putain ! What do we do now ? » muttered Anthony.
The target was to mobile for firing a rocket, the .50 cal wasn't cutting through and they were too far away from base to ask for reinforcements.
Before he could think more, he felt a hand grabbing his shoulder. He turned his head to see the elf yelling at him something at him in a language different that the one he was learning.
« Ono ! Yuniriu Ono ! »
This was definitively not the human language, so at first the Lieutenant was lost.
« Wh...What ? When did you wok... »
« ONO ! » she interrupted, pointing her right eye with her finger.
« The eye ?... » Anthony was confused for a quarter of a second before realizing that the eye was the weak point of the dragon.
Sliding a new magazine in his FAMAS, he yelled through the radio
« THE EYES ! AIM FOR THE EYES ! »
Almost immediately, the yellow trails of tracer bullets started to focus on the head of the dragon, forcing it to raise its arms in front of its face to protect his only weakness, thus completely stopping its attack.
« He's incapacitated ! Cavendish, use the AT-4 ! »
The english soldier let go of the machine gun and dived into the VBL. When he reappeared, he was holding the long rod that was the AT-4 CS rocket launcher.
« Front... Check. Rear... Check. Back blast... » started to muttered Cavendish, checking the main part of the launcher.
« Fucking hurry up ! » yelled Gomez.
Cavendish put the launcher on his shoulder and tried to align the sights with the massive target that was the dragon. But a rocket launcher isn't made for firing from a moving vehicle.
« Moltke, slow down ! I can't aim ! »
« You want to die ? I can't slow down ! » answered the german driver.
Struggling with the rumble of the VBL on the rocky surface, Cavendish managed to aim directly for the dragon.
« ROCKET AW... »
He was cut short by the armored vehicle rolling over a rock, making the english private snatch the trigger. The rocket started its course in the general direction of the beast, but was flying too much to the right.
« Shit ! It's a miss ! » yelled Anthony, trying load his last magazine into his assault rifle.
But the dragon tripped ?!
Somehow, the dragon lost its balance and found itself in front of the rocket.
BOOM !
If the .50 cal wasn't cutting through, the HEAT rocket was way more effective.
When the smoke caused by the explosion dissipated, everyone saw the bloody left arm falling on the ground, the air filled with the painful roar of the beast. For the first time, something managed to injure badly the dragon that started to flee as quickly as possible, almost like it was ashamed.
Behind him, he left his arm was lying on the ground in the middle of a forming red pool of blood, right next to an ebony halberd planted into the ground.
The axe of the oracle girl ?
When Jenkins stopped the Humvee, Anthony looked behind him.
Beside from the elf trying to cover her body with the cover that were on her when she was unconscious, the only unusual thing was the gothic girl hanging to one of the back door with one arm while the other was directly pointed at the place where the dragon was, like after she had thrown something.
But at this moment, nobody was feeling like asking questions.
« Is that over ? » asked Marc through the radio.
Sighing in relief, the Lieutenant grabbed the microphone.
« Not yet Caporal. We must rendezvous with the convoy and count the casualties. Chaumond, we might need to ask for medical support, so get ready to contact Overlord. »
And thus, the NATO vehicles took the direction of the giant bonfire that was the remains of the convoy.
Total number of villagers : 602
Victims : 149
Higly injured : 9
Lightly injured : 25
Uninjured : 487
Trevis' first report on the number of civilians casualties
Camp Alnus Control Room, November 8th 2016, 1634 hours AT
As she drank the last sip of her black coffee, Julie Cernaud closed her eyes.
She was one of the two radio operators in charge of Recon Team 3 during their first scouting mission. At first it didn't seemed so bad : an operation lasting less than 24 hours, a relay at the middle of the mission, and a whole afternoon to sleep and rest. But obviously something happened.
When she took post a 4 a.m, the young American man that was in post before her gave all the details about what was going on with RCT3.
Hearing the words "giant dragon that burnt down an entire forest" from a serious U.S Army radio operator isn't something that augurs well, but the radio message she received literally one hour and a half before the end of the mission was the kicker.
« Overlord, this is Recon 3. Be advised we can't maintain the 1200 hours ETA. New ETA unknown. Copy that ? Over. »
« Copy that Recon 3. What's the reason of this delay ? Over. »
« Huh... Evacuation of civilians. Over. »
« What ? »
At that moment, General LaPointe entered the room to see how the operation were doing.
« You heard me right. We're helping around 600 locals to escape the dragon by escorting them to a road 15 clicks west. »
« Recon 3, please stand-by for authorization. Over. »
Julie put down the headset and stood up. The general was talking with one of his officer about logistics. When the discussion ended, the radio operator saluted.
« General. We have a problem with the third recon team. They're telling that they can't maintain the 1200 hours limit because they're evacuating civilians to a road 15 kilometers west. »
« Hum. As long as they're back before the end of the day, let them do. Helping civilians is one of our missions. Transmit them that they're authorized to escort them to safety. »
Julie saluted again, sat on her chair and put back her headset.
« Recon 3, you're authorized to escort the civilians, but be back before the end of the day. How copy ? Over. »
« Solid copy, Overlord. Recon 3 out. »
Now she was just standing there, waiting for any news coming from RCT3 and trying to stay awake.
When the radio started to make the usual noise that comes with the start of a transmission, she was expecting the words "we've finished the escort", but what came was way different.
« Overlord, Recon 3, we've engaged the dragon at point Tango. We managed to make it flee, but there is a lot of civilians casualties. Requesting medical support. How copy ? Over. »
Julie sighed before pushing the button on the radio.
« Copy that Recon 3. Sending medical teams to your location. Stay on stand-by for ETA. Overlord out. »
Junction between Tessalia Highway and Coda Road, November 8th 2016, 1650 AT
When the medical VABs arrived, the feeling that swept through every soldiers was a mix of happiness and relief. It was finally over, and they could go back to base.
Well, not yet exactly.
When the medical team arrived with their VAB SAN marked with a wide red cross, Anthony ordered to stay until all of the villagers were examined.
But first they had to convince them that the iron beasts that they summoned weren't dangerous.
The vehicles went into a circular formation and stopped their loud engines, the medics they were carrying dismounted and started to examine anyone that needed.
Anthony sat on the passenger seat of the Humvee, trying to see if someone wanted help with translation. But the only thing he saw was the silver haired teenager going towards the RCT3 vehicles, a strange staff in her hand
« Need some help ? » asked Anthony.
« Yes, answered the girl with an almost emotionless voice. I want to know what kind of magic you master. »
« Magic ? laughed Jenkins who was giving a t-shirt and sweatpants to the elf. We don't use magic. »
« You don't use magic ? » This answer obviously meant she was surprised, but her voice and facial expression remained unchanged.
« Huh... No. We're not magicians. » answered Anthony.
« But I saw that one of you used fire magic thanks to a large rod, and you claim that you are not magicians. This explain why I didn't felt any trace of magic in you... »
« Wait wait wait... You're saying that magic is real ? » interrupted Marc, not believing what he heard while he was checking the ammunition he had left
« Yes it is. » responded the girl. To justify her claim, she started to mutter something. The blue crystal that was on top of the staff started to glow, and the magazine that Marc was holding started to fly through the air towards her at a slow speed.
Magic was indeed real.
But her demonstration was cut short as she was about to grab the magazine. An old man wearing a gray outfit and a pointed hat approached. The facts that he also had a staff in his hand and that he was older quickly shown that he was some kind of master.
« Lelei ! What are you doing ? » he asked, like a teacher talking to a student that made a big mistake.
« I was trying to understand their powers, Master, but they are telling me that they don't use magic. » she answered, again without a single variation in her voice.
« Well now is not the time for such interrogations. We must find somewhere to go. »
The two started to walk back to their carriage, but before disappearing behind one of the VAB, the girl turned and thanked the soldiers.
Marc, grabbing the magazine that had felt on the ground, didn't believed what he saw.
« Magic's fucking real. »
Anthony was about to remind him of the conversation they had in the VAB a few days ago, but the captain of the medical team arrived to report the situation.
« So we have 9 people in need of an immediate medical treatment, a dozen that need treatment for light injuries, but... »
« But what ? »
« There are around 40 people that say they can't go further and they ask us to help them. Some are orphan, other lost everything during the battle with the dragon... Do you think that LaPointe will accept refugees ? »
For a moment, everyone blocked on this question. The mission was to scout, not to bring refugees, but again LaPointe authorized Recon 3 to escort the villagers.
« If you accept locals into the base's hospital, I guess that we can accept a few of them, answered Anthony. Chaumond, ask command if they're ready to accept around 60 refugees. »
« Yes sir. »
The private turned on the radio, and after a small conversation with the radio operator, he came back with the news.
« It's ok to bring them back at base, but we'll have further details there. »
Anthony smiled, stood up and, the medical captain next to him, he took the direction of the group of villagers.
As described by the captain, a group of 40 villagers, incertitude on their faces. In the middle of the group, he saw the gothic girl sharpening her axe and the magician duo on the only carriage of the group.
The Lieutenant cleared his throat and started in the local language.
« We're getting you to safety. Leave it to us. »
Joy may be the most appropriate word to describe the feeling of the whole group. Their struggle was finally over.
Checkpoint Echo, November 8th 2016, 1710 AT
In the distance, the holy hill of Alnus appeared. The last time Lelei had saw the hill a few weeks ago when she was searching for medicinal plants, the only thing that was on the hill was the Gate, surrounded by the camp of the imperial army.
Now, on top of the hill was a fortress. A massive fortress.
From where she was, it looked like it was bigger than the Imperial Palace in the capital. But she was far away, on her carriage, next to her master, behind the strange vehicles of the so called "men in green".
They had free the horse and attached the cart to the smallest of the vehicle, making her realize the speed that it can achieve.
After a few minutes on the Tessalia Highway, the group had diverted on the small road leading to Alnus Hill.
For a small amount of time, the group was advancing, but suddenly everyone stopped.
There was another group of men in green blocking the road. Their steed were of the same general shape than the vehicles that transported the healers, but it was different. It had a strange thin snout on the top, fixed to a part of the vehicle that could rotate.
This vehicle was parked next to a big sign, written in the Empire language, followed by what seemed to be it translation in two other languages written in the Elder's alphabet.
You are entering territory controlled by the NATO Special Region Task Force.
Prepare to be searched.
Obey all orders given by NATO soldiers or you will be considered hostile
They were at a military checkpoint, and they'll need to prove that they're not dangerous.
The men manning the vehicles marked with the red crosses opened the doors of their vehicles to reveal the villagers, injured or not, that were riding with them. The checkpoint's men in green started to check every bag and every pouches, taking away every object they considered dangerous like daggers and swords.
One of the man got next to the cart and tried in a language he obviously didn't mastered.
« Please, can you step aside and let us search your cart ? »
Lelei looked at her master. He nodded and jumped off his seat without a word. Following him, she did the same.
From the vehicle that was parked, another man in green got out holding a leash in his hand.
At the other side of the leach, a black and orange dog started sniffing what was in the carriage, like he was trying to find something. But when after a few minutes he stopped to search, the dog's master made him go back inside the vehicle. Nothing was found, and they were free to go.
When the convoy restarted, one of those men shouted.
« Welcome to Camp Alnus, you're safe now. »
Thanks for reading Chapter 5 of OMJ, hope you liked it.
I know that I'm not the best for writing action scenes. The encounter with the Fire Dragon is normally really fast paced, but I don't know if I managed to transcribe it well. Don't forget to bring up anything constructive in the reviews, I'm what we can call a "noob" in fanfic writing.
I also admit that the part between the end of the battle and the end of the chapter was kind off rushed, but I needed to arrive at this point in the story at the end of the chapter.
grievousrommel - I'm sorry, but 80's Metallica all. Ride the lightning and Master of Puppets are the best albums ever.
The Tundra Fox - I'm want credit and 10% of the revenues of your subreddit post ! (And I got 19/20 in english during my finals. So yeah I can say that I'm at least decent ^^)
Insanis Mens - *Voice of South Park's PC principal* Wait there's more French bros here ?
Sérieusement merci pour le retour positif, c'est sympa de voir que des gens apprécient ce que tu fais.
Major Simi - For now I'm sticking mainly to the canon, but expect changes with Yao and the dark elves.