The Legion Commander Strikes Back

• Legion Commander

The fighter jets cut through the air at such high speeds that it was barely audible. They formed a triangle like shape as they soared the skies in unison.

Ethan gripped the flight stick tightly, maneuvering the plane towards the target zone. The other aircrafts were basically following his lead. 

He looked down through the windscreen at the vast expanse of vegetation below.

“Kinagorian foot soldiers in sight, attack!” He commanded.

The other fleets of jets opened fire, within a matter of minutes they had already leveled the forest beneath them, leaving behind smoke and fire.

They had succeeded, finally the kinagor army was retreating and leaving the borders of Armoria. 

Suddenly, another set of aircrafts joined them in the air. “Commander! Enemy jets are approaching!” Jax’s voice rang within Ethan's headgear. 

Ethan clenched his jaw and turned his flight stick, veering away from their usual course. The enemy jets followed him and they were now hot on his trail. 

The world narrowed to a tunnel of piercing blue as Ethan wrestled the F-22 Raptor through a warzone sky.

Behind him on the radar display flickered the angry blips of two Su-35 Flanker fighters, gaining fast.

"Commander, this is Lucy. They're flanking you! High-G barrel roll, then switch to high-drag maneuver!" Her voice crackled through his helmet speakers. 

Lucy was like his eyes and ears in the sky.

Ethan gritted his teeth. A barrel roll wouldn't cut it.  

They were too close.  

With a flick of his wrist, he deployed the jet's air brakes. 

The familiar groaning of the airframe filled the cockpit. His speed bled off dramatically, the g-forces pushing him back into the seat.

The harsh red "stall warning" light flickered on the instrument panel, Ethan ignored it. This was a calculated risk.  

A glance at the rearview mirror - a luxury most fighter jets didn't have - showed the Flankers.

"Alright. Now for the fun part," Ethan muttered, a hint of a grin tugging at his lips. With practiced ease, he feathered the throttle, the engine whining as he fought to maintain a minimum safe airspeed.  

Slowly, the air brakes retracted, the Raptor regaining a semblance of maneuverability.

The world lurched back into focus. The two Su-35s, momentarily thrown off, were now in front, their silhouettes momentarily vulnerable against the blue canvas ahead of him. A satisfactory smirk spread across Ethan's face.

"Gotcha," he whispered, his finger finding the missile launch trigger. 

The jet shuddered as the missiles were launched, he glanced at the HUD as the missiles neared their targets. 

Boom!

The jets were out of the skies. 

Bullseye. 

He and his fleet of fighter jets turned around and flew back to base. As Ethan descended from the jet, the soldiers were lined up already, standing at attention to welcome their commander.

Ethan was one of the highest ranking officers, second to none in the country. He walked on the red ceremonial red carpet and into the base while the onlooking soldiers burst into applause.

Ethan had successfully performed the air raid and had driven Kinagorian soldiers away from their lands. 

The colony wars have been going on for the past seven years, but it was finally seeing an end under Ethan Vanguard's administration as commander of the dreadline legionnaires.

The deadline legionnaires were the most powerful military group in the world, they were Armoria’s secret weapon. Only stepping into the scene when the regular military failed. 

Their training was much more rigorous and their equipment more sophisticated. Ethan looked ahead at the main building. 

It was a dome like structure made of mostly glass. Obviously, it wasn't just ordinary glass, it was highly dense and impenetrable to regular bullets or bombs. 

This base was located in the most secure city in Armoria; Gunchester, commonly known as the legions stronghold. 

The doors automatically slid open as Ethan approached. The buzz of activity inside ceased as all heads turned to face him. This was the first time in months he was physically present here. 

He and his lieutenants, Jax Toppers, Keith Ross and Lucy Barker sauntered through the hallway. The interior of the dome was a testament to modern architecture, everything was smooth and sleek.

He and his men entered the elevator and headed to his office which was at the very top of the building, the whole floor was his. 

When they stepped out of the elevator they walked down the quiet hallway and passed the line up of soldiers who stood still like statues.

Robert Willard, a tall buff man in his mid fifties, was inside Ethan's office. At first Ethan was shocked as to who had the audacity to enter his office, but when Robert turned to face him, a smile crawled up on his face.

Ethan bowed to greet him but Robert stopped him mid way. “You're commander now, no need for all that,” Robert joked and then gave Ethan a salute. 

Robert was the former commander of the dreadland legionnaires, before he decided to retire and hand over to Ethan vanguard. 

Ethan Vanguard, the son of one of the most affluent billionaires in the country was suddenly drafted to go and fight in the colony wars between the three nations seven years ago, just five days after his engagement. He was barely twenty at the time, what did he know about war?

The three nations were in conflict for years and eventually, Ivary and Kinagor, the two weaker nations formed an alliance. Regardless, their efforts at defeating Armoria had proved to be futile, thanks to the dreadland legionnaires. 

Ethan was involved in an explosion when he was still a new recruit and was thought to be dead by many, but he survived it. He had picked up the enemy grenade and hurled it right back at them.

Robert, who was commander at the time, was intrigued by his vigor and had kept Ethan under his wings ever since. And then, when Ethan single handedly rescued Robert and some of the other captured soldiers from the Ivarian army, the rest was history. 

“It's good to have you back Ethan,” Robert said.

“It's good to be back,” Ethan replied. 

Just then, a call came in and Ethan had to answer it. 

“Mr vanguard, the spies have some important news for you, it's about your family,” the voice on the other end sounded.