AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just a little head's up. There will be music in this chapter, so I'm going to add in this little side note so nopony gets confused.
Words in this color are Sarah's voice.
Words in this color belong to the entire group singing at once.
Other than that, I hope you enjoy, and happy reading!

We spent the entirety of that first day on the road, marching mile after mile along the packed dirt towards the distant west, and the forgotten fortress where our enemy lay hidden. The supply wagons followed the mass of armored ponies so that we wouldn’t have to stop until we got to our destination. All of our food, tents, and other such gear was stored in the wagons, allowing the troops to march unhindered in formation as Fury, Swift, Rosie and I lead the army.

It was only as the sun began to set that we slowed to a halt, the thunderous rhythm of marching hooves coming to a gradual stop as the battalions formed up into their respective clusters as the tents and food were unpacked from the wagons. The command tent was stationed directly in the center of the conglomerate so that way messages could be passed from commander to subordinate as quickly as possible, meaning that the other officers and I were going to be spending the night in the very heart of our troops.

Rosie and I stepped aside with Fury and Swift as we sat around a small fire, the general hubbub of talking ponies creating a soft chatter in the background as everyone got settled in for the night. Patrols covered the perimeter of the camp so we wouldn’t get caught by surprise by any enemy soldiers, and in a rare moment of quiet, I managed to feel somewhat relaxed as I sipped from a thermos of tea. I would have preferred coffee, but the bags were much lighter than grounds and so I had to make do with the bitter liquid as the others munched on their own food.

Rosie’s wings fluttered slightly as she sat beside me, her skewer of meat bits steaming slightly in the cooler night air and giving off an absolutely delicious smell. Swift was used to us eating meat by now, so she wasn’t bothered by it as Rosie and I dug into our meal, but Fury was a bit green around the gills, pushing his own folding plate to one side as he mastered his stomach.

“So, what’s the general plan going forward, General?” Swift asked, turning her attention to the thestral as she sipped from her own tea.

“We march into the village that resides outside the Keep,” Fury replied, “from there we can make a more concentrated assault on the fortress without having to worry about being flanked by enemy troops. Make no mistake, we will be facing an army, and I know for a fact it’s not going to be an easy fight once things start moving.” He shifted his attention to Rosie and me, “You two are going to be part of a special unit I’m putting together to try and break through to the coven itself, bypassing the majority of the fighting so you can take out our problem at the source. Without a necromancer to supply them with power, the undead should fall apart or at least lose any form of direction, allowing us to dispatch them easier and prevent new troops from being summoned.”

“How many of us are going to be a part of this little task group?” Rosie asked, “I know it’s going to have Sarah and I in it, but are we going to have a bunch of ponies backing us up?”

Fury nodded, “Yes, but only a squad or two. We want you to be as mobile as possible and having a large group will draw too much attention as well as slow you down. You need to have the freedom to move about without getting bogged down in unnecessary fighting.”

“I’m going with you.” Swift stated with finality, “I’m not going to let you face those monsters with a bunch of new recruits. Besides, Princess Twilight would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”

Rosie and I nodded our agreement, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’d be honored to fight beside you in the coming battle.”

“Then I suggest you get a good night’s sleep.” Fury added as he stood up, “We pick up camp at dawn and should be arriving at the Keep by midafternoon tomorrow. We’re going to need to be as fresh as possible if we’re going to be fighting a war once we get there.”

“Sir!” Swift, Rosie and I snapped into salutes as Fury trotted away, leaving the three of us to finish our food before standing.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Swift added as she walked into the command tent, “and good luck.” She cast a look Rosie’s way, opened her mouth to speak, and then seemed to think better of it.

Rosie glanced at me as the earth pony disappeared into the tent, but I shook my head. It wasn’t my place to reveal Swift’s feelings for the gryphon hen, and I wasn’t about to step in until after all of this was over. Because if Swift didn’t say anything after we fought through a literal army of the undead to save Equestria, then I was going to kick her sorry little plot from here to next Tuesday for being a self-conscious, boneheaded moron.

Rosie and I stayed out for a bit longer, just enjoying the quiet of the night as the rest of the camp went to sleep, and I felt the hen’s gaze on me as I turned to meet her eyes.

“Something on your mind?” She seemed to have trouble replying as she opened and closed her beak several times.
Finally, she managed to find the words and asked, “Do you think Swift likes me?”

I managed to keep a straight face as I followed her gaze towards the command tent, “I don’t know. I know she likes you as a friend, if nothing else, but it’s not my place to say one way or the other.” I returned my gaze to hers as she looked up at me, “What brought this on?”

“Well,” she tapped the tips of her claws together as she found great interest in the log across from us, “it’s just that I’ve seen her looking at me funny a couple times when she thought I wasn’t able to see her, and it’s got me thinking about what it would be like if she and I ended up together.”

“What about your father?” I asked, “Do you think he would approve of you dating a pony?”

Rosie’s beak curled into a smirk, “He wouldn’t care one way or the other, as long as I was happy. Would I need to think of something to secure my lineage? Absolutely. But I’m a young hen, and I have plenty of time to think of that once all of this is over with.” She smiled fully as her eyes lit up with hope and something else that I couldn’t quite identify, “Swift makes me happy, and not just as a friend. I can’t imagine not being with her after all that we’ve gone through. I just don’t know if she would be willing to return my feelings if I told her how I feel.”

I debated with myself for a bit before coming to a decision, “You know what? I think you should tell her. You might not get the chance after the war is over, so now would be the best time to do something about it.”

“WHAT?!” Her voice rose into a near screech as her wings flared wide, “You think I should just walk up to her and tell her how I feel? What if she doesn’t like me that way? What if she gets distracted and she gets hurt during the battle? I can’t endanger her like that just because I like her! Especially because of how I feel for her!”

“Then you won’t ever find the courage to tell her if you don’t do it now.” I countered, “She loves you. She’s told me several times herself that she’s crazy for you. All you have to do is walk into that tent, tell her how you feel, and then you can fight side by side to destroy the enemy with me. Quick acting like a little kitten and make a move already!”

Her eyes narrowed as her fur and feathers fluffed out, “Fine, I will. And when she rejects me, I’m going to blame you for breaking my heart!”

With that she stormed off and pushed her way into the command tent, and I sat back to enjoy the last of my tea before standing up and following her. I waited outside the tent flap for a moment, just letting them have their moment, although what I didn’t expect once I pushed the flap out of my way, was to walk in and see both Rosie and Swift locked together in a tight embrace, their mouths pressed into one another in a deep and passionate kiss.

I smirked as I walked over to my own bunk, pushing the sheets out of the way as I untied my boots, “You two might want to come up for air soon,” I quipped as they continued to make out, “or else you might pass out from lack of oxygen.”
They pulled apart slowly, their eyes turning to glare at me in unison as their cheeks began burning bright red. “Mind your own business,” Swift replied as she turned Rosie’s face back towards hers with a hoof, “we’re a bit busy if you hadn’t noticed.”

I rolled my eyes as they went back to sucking face, but I couldn’t help the smile that appeared on my lips as I rolled over to face the tent wall. I was happy for the two of them, and I really did think that they would be a wonderful couple. Besides, love that never came to be because of war is more painful than anything else. I had a friend back in basic whop never got around to saying how she felt, and then her would-be lover got killed while on deployment. Needless to say, I was going to do everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen to either of them. That, I swore to prevent at any cost.

The following morning rose bright and clear, and I rose out of my cot feeling rather refreshed. I rolled over and spotted Rosie curled up around Swift in the same bed, a wing rested over the earth pony in a protective hold while her claws held onto her barrel from behind.

I wouldn’t help the small squeak of adorableness that managed to escape my lips, but I held in my inner fangirl as I pulled on my boots and walked out of the tent. The morning bugle call rang out over the camp just as I exited the structure, and I felt a small measure of glee when I heard both Swift and Rosie crying out in surprise as a duo of thuds signaled their rapid departure from the bed.

Breakfast was more of the same from the night before, but then again, army rations were army rations, no matter what world you found yourself in. We formed up on the main road once again and began the march anew, although as we continued our journey, I noticed that there seemed to be a bit of a weight resting on everyone’s shoulders.

Feeling like some moral boosting was in order, I let the rhythm of the march fill me from boots to head, and I called out in my loudest voice as the ponies and gryphon around me turned to look in surprise.

It’s time to strap our boots on
This is a perfect day to die
Wipe the blood out of our eyes

In this life there’s no surrender
There’s nothing left for us to do
Find the strength to see this through

The ponies began to smile as I belted out the song, the thunder of marching hooves growing just a bit louder as Rosie and I sped up in order to stand next to Swift and Fury. They turned to look at me as we stepped into file on either side of the ponies, and I felt a surge of pride as they began nodding along with the beat.

We are the ones who will never be broken
With our final breath
We’ll fight to the death
We are soldiers, we are soldiers
Woah woah woah whoa
We are soldiers

I stand here right beside you
Tonight we’re fighting for our lives
Let me hear your battle cry
Your battle cry

There was an echoing roar as the stallions and mares behind us called out in unison, the collective army of Equestria sounding off their might as they added in a chorus to support my vocals.

We are the ones who will never be broken (never be broken)
With our final breath
We’ll fight to the death
We are soldiers, we are soldiers

We are the ones who will not go unspoken (not go unspoken)
No, we will not sleep
We are not sheep
We are soldiers, we are soldiers
Yeah

I felt the energy of the formation rising with me as my voice dropped to a low tone, the anticipation building with every word as I lifted my whisper to a shout by the end of the verse.

We stand shoulder to shoulder
We stand shoulder to shoulder
We stand shoulder to shoulder
You can’t erase us
You’ll just have to face us

The entire army echoed my words as the sun shone high overhead, the clear skies and open road carrying our song for miles. I could practically feel the hearts and minds of everyone lifting with each note and word, our collective strength bosting moral to new heights as the song reached its climax.

We stand shoulder to shoulder
We stand shoulder to shoulder
We stand shoulder to shoulder
You can’t erase us
You’ll just have to face us

We are the ones who will never be broken (never be broken)
With our final breath
We’ll fight to the death
We are soldiers, we are soldiers

We are the ones who will not go unspoken (not go unspoken)
No, we will not sleep
We are not sheep
We are soldiers, we are soldiers
Yeah
Woah woah woah whoa
We are soldiers
Woah woah woah whoa
We are soldiers
Woah woah woah whoa
We are soldiers

Rosie turned to face me as the song ended, her eyes alight with joy and excitement as she spoke, “That was amazing! Can we sing another?”

“Yeah,” Swift added, “we needed something like that after all the doom and gloom started to settle in. I’m all for another one if you feel like leading again.”

I nodded, feeling my energy rushing through my body as my mind settled in on another of my squad’s favorites.

“Alright, here goes.” I couldn’t help the smirk that formed on my lips as I turned to face Fury, “Try to keep up in you can.”
He returned my smirk and retorted, “With pleasure.”

My voice rose once more as the next cadence began, and I could feel the ponies behind me marching just a bit faster and harder as the beat filled us all with energy.

I’ve got the reach and the teeth of a killin’ machine
With a need to bleed you when the light goes green
Best believe I’m in the zone to be
From my Yin to my Yang to my Yang Tze

Put a grin on my chin when you come to me
‘Cuz I’ll win, I’m a one-of-a-kind and I’ll bring death
To the place you’re about to be
Another river of blood runnin’ under my feet

Forged in a fire lit long ago
Stand next to me you’ll never stand alone
I’m the last to leave but the first to go
Lord make me dead before you make me old

I feed on the fear of the devil inside
Of the enemy faces in my sights
Aim with a hand
Shoot with a mind
Kill with a heart like Arctic ice

“After me everyone!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, “I want them to hear us all the way back in Canterlot!”

I am a soldier and I’m marchin’ on
I am a soldier and I’m marchin’ on
I am a warrior, and this is my song
I am a warrior, and this is my song

I bask in the glow of the rising war
Lay waste to the ground of an enemy shore
Wade through the blood spilled on the floor
And if another one stands, I’ll kill some more

Bullet in the breech and a fire in me
Like a cigarette thrown to gasoline
If death don’t bring you fear I swear
You’ll fear these marchin’ feet

Come to the nightmare, come to me
Deep down in the dark where the devil be
In the maw with the jaws and the razor teeth
Where the brimstone burns and the angel weeps

Call to the gods if I cross your path
And my silhouette hangs like a body bag
Hope is a moment now long past
The shadow of death is the one I cast

The entire army added in their voices for the chorus, echoing through the air as the force of their cry drowned out the steady beat of their hooves. My vision nearly blurred from the rush of energy running through my body, and I could see Rosie’s aura beginning to rise around her body as her own energy surged beyond her conscious control.

I am a soldier and I’m marchin’ on
I am a warrior, and this is my song
My eyes are steel, and my gaze is long (I CANNOT HEAR YOU)
I am a warrior, and this is my song

Now I live lean and I mean to inflict the grief
And the least of me’s still out of your reach
The killin’ machine’s gonna do the deed
Until the river runs dry and my last breath leaves

Chin in the air with a head held high
I’ll stand in the path of the enemy line
Feel no fear, know my pride
For God and country I’ll end your life

I am a soldier and I’m marchin’ on
I am a warrior, and this is my song
My eyes are steel, and my gaze is long
I am a warrior, and this is my song

The great walls of Platinum’s Keep rose high in the distance, and for a moment, I could imagine Moon Song and her coven hearing our cry, and feeling fear knowing that we were coming to destroy her and everything she stood for.

The ancient walls of Platinum’s keep shook slightly with the echoing cry of the approaching army, a small group of unicorns standing on the outer wall as they watched the troops draw near. A single mare threw back her hood and smiled, her lime green eyes glinting with anticipation as her horn began to glow.

“So Celestia sent her little toy soldiers to stand against us.” Her voice dripped with venom as her lips curled into a frown, “Let’s show these little ponies that this is not a game that can be won so easily.”

The land around the Keep began to roil and shake as rotting hooves and skeletal bodies began breaking free of the dirt and rock, the army of undead rising to face the army of the living as the sun began its slow descent towards the horizon. Two factions would face another in this battle, but only one would come out of it when all was said and done.

The battle for Equestria was about to begin, and only Fate knew what lay in store for our heroes.

Author's Notes:

The time for talk has come to an end. Now is the time for action. I hope you all are enjoying this little chapter, because the next one is going to be the climax of ACT 2. Hold on to your horseshoes, and pray to whatever gods you hold true that things will work out in the end.

The songs for this chapter are as follows in case you want to listen to the original versions.
Soldiers, by Otherwise
The Warrior Song, by The Warrior Song Project

Once again, a big thank you to my Patrons, WuBzY and Earthpatriot117, they have supported me and my work for several months now, and I hope to see more of you jumping on the bandwagon in the future.

Other than that, I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.