Reborn in a Dating Sim: Life as a Mob is hard in an Equestria Girl’s Dating Game! Book 2

Reborn in a Dating Sim:

Life as a Mob is hard in an Equestria Girl’s Dating Game!

Book 2

Chapter Seven

Copper considered how the day had progressed up to the point that it was now. It had started as something enjoyable. Actually, it was better than just enjoyable. The girls had something of assigned nights that were specifically meant to be alone with him. There would be allowance of time together as well, and he accepted that. In truth he was still getting used to the idea of having multiple girls in the bed with him at once. Sure, that was something out of a wet dream for most guys, but he found himself getting anxious worrying about if he could please everyone that he was with.

The fear was mostly unfounded though. It wasn’t unfounded because he was feeling it, but rather it was unfounded because the girls tended to ensure that everyone came away feeling amazing. Like always he’d come to depend upon Artemis when she was there with him. She had been a quick study when it came to what he liked, and she was just as quick of a study when it came to her sister wives. He’d found that she was someone that truly loved those that she considered hers. There was no denying how passionate she could be, and that of course was a huge disconnect from her no nonsense persona.

It was something of an oddity to see her in bed, moaning in passion, waiting to be cuddled, to be bred, to feel everything that she could, and then to see her out and about in the world when there was others around. Of course, with her being so close to having the baby her own time with him had mostly been spent doing things slower, easier, and far more gentle than she preferred. Somehow, she had come to like that as well. And this morning had been the slower, gentler time with Artemis.

They had been together, in the suite, and it hadn’t quite gotten to the point of them doing anything. Instead they had been lying together, just enjoying each other’s presence. Artemis had expressed an interest in improving their standing. She had explained that it would be worth their wild to consider the possibility of including Head Priestess Luna. He had wondered if she somehow could read that the Head Priestess had confessed to having feelings for him. If that was the case, how could he possibly move forward?

The entire situation had been something mostly pleasant until the entire room shook. The violent shaking reminded him of his previous life, and specifically of earthquakes. He’d only been in one or two, not really enough to consider himself an expert, but nonetheless he felt the familiar disorienting feeling of an earthquake as it caused the entire room to shake. Everything in the room moved, and he did his best to cover Artemis. The more primal part of himself demanded that he ensure her safety.

No sooner had that happened then he heard sounds of screams coming from outside. He looked at Artemis who nodded, and both of them got out of bed. Together they dressed, and he quickly moved toward the rest of the suite. He checked to ensure that everyone else was accounted for and whole. When it was obvious that everyone was fine he moved outside to see familiar looking forces. The same slave forces that had attempted to attack while they were on a short vacation before were there.

He looked above to see a familiar airship, and of course he saw the leader being projected overhead. In his mind he couldn’t help but consider the lich a supervillain. The reason was simple. He had the presentation for being one down to a pat. All that was missing was the lightshow and some blaring heavy metal playing in the background. Still, he looked back toward Artemis who again nodded, “I’ve already called the ship, and of course Avarice here, but my Captain, be warned, there seems to be something different this time.

Her words were not lost on him. There was certainly something different now. It was absolutely present with everything that was happening. He could feel the difference in the air. He could feel the way everything was shaping up. There was something big, something huge that was going to happen here. He wasn’t sure what it was, and he wasn’t sure if it was something that he actually could much about. Having Artemis had actually been the deciding factor for most of his victories.

Sure, he could contribute that he had his own skills as well. He was an accomplished pilot when it came to Avarice, and he was a skilled combatant when it came to fighting on his own. At the end of the day though he was a mere man. He was a single person, and nothing more than that. Maybe that’s why he was worried. He certainly had far more to lose now than he did before. He had wives, plural, and he was about to become a father. That line specifically was something that caused both joy and anxiety.

“Rejoyce, those who live fruitless and meaningless lives,” came the booming voice of the lich, “Rejoyce, for I have come to remove the meaningless existence that you call a life. I have come to give you something far better. I have come to ensure that you are brought into a life that will give you true purpose. You will become my servants, and you will live to serve me.”

“Not happening,” he said, and at once the projected figure seemed to look at him, “Yeah, I said not happening.”

“Ah, the hero,” the booming voice replied, “I had hoped to find you here. I will crush you, and I will display your body upon my ship. All that would dare oppose me will see the results of those that dare to attempt to thwart death itself. I’ve come for you, most of all, and I’ve come to see all that you care for to crumble and die.”

The words hit close to Copper’s heart. The fear that he had of losing those that he cared the most about was something that resided inside of him. Most of the time he was able to keep it down. A mere thought that would occasionally crop up, but something containable regardless. He held these worries inside, and seldom did they ever really escape. He’d long since learned to simply live with them. But seeing the force that was here, and seeing how the Lich was determined to strike within the Academy itself made him realize how real those worries were.

“You’re not going to touch them,” he said, his voice firm, “I’ll make sure that you regret coming here.”

The booming laughter filled the air. The sound was similar to that of a hollow wind echoing through the trees. It reverbrated everywhere, causing confusion and anxiety. Copper realized that it was a spell in and of itself. Everything that the Lich did was secured with magic. He didn’t act without releasing some kind of spell. His entire reason for being was destroying all that lived, or ruling over it. There was little doubt in his mind that he wanted to ensure the world fit his own twisted image.

It was something that Copper was determined to ensure didn’t happen. He had no plans to simply allow this to happen. Still, there was little he could do until Avarice actually arrived. He held out his arm, allowing the magic to charge inside of it, and without any hesitation he struck out at one of the incoming troops that the Lich was using. The force of the punch actually knocked the helm that it wore loose. Another strike and the helm itself came off. What was left was a person under it. Her eyes were blank. There was no emotion, no will, nothing except for a empty shell that obeyed its master. A master that couldn’t communicate with it without the helm.

He looked at the others, and suddenly their attacks became more focused. No longer were they randomly heading into the Academy, but instead they were heading toward him. The realization hit him. They wanted him dealt with, and he was a danger. He’d figured out a weakness, even if that weakness wasn’t that exploitable. It had taken him charging his punch with magic, and unleashing a devastating two hit on the helm to knock it off. In doing so he’d managed to stop one of the troops, but it had only been one. It wasn’t like he could do this over and over again for hours. Charging his arm with magic took magic from his mana pool.

Each time he did that it took longer to charge because there was less mana to collect. Finally, he would be out, and that would mean that there would be no more attacks like that. It would be his mere muscle. Not that he was weak, far from it, but he doubted that he was strong enough to actually knock those helms off with just his brute strength. No, he needed to find a way to deal with this, and to deal with it quickly. No sooner had he thought of that then a shot rang out.

He watched as one of the troops’ helms exploded. It didn’t merely get knocked off, but it exploded into a shower of jade colored materials. He heard another shot, and another. The sounds all coming from the roofs of the buildings. The others were attacking, or at least the best marksmen among them were attacking. They had likely watched what had happened, and in return they were doing what they could to take them down. It made sense. Attacking from where they were was far safer than attacking from anywhere else. Sure, it meant that they were open to the airships, but likely there were individuals raising their barriers against them.

With the backup he could at least hold his ground until Avarice arrived. At least that was the hope. Granted, he was putting a ton of hope in Avarice being able to beat the odds. Of course there was a reason for that. Avarice, like Artemis, was a cheat item. Its entire purpose was to unbalance the game, and put the win solidly in the hands of the player. There was no grinding for xp, no trying to get better at the game, it was a transactional purchase that ensured victory.

And he had all faith that Avarice would come through for him. Although he understood that thinking like that did make him sound, if only to himself, a bit like a cheater. Not that he was going to admit it. He’d purchased both Artemis and Avarice in his old life to beat the stupid game. He’d ensured that he would win, and in the end it had come back to be a great decision. Because of it he had Artemis. Which, she was certainly more than a spaceship. She was a person, whole and true, and he loved her for it.

“My Captain, Avarice is incoming!”

He looked up to see the armor heading toward him. It landed, just behind him, and he dodged a couple of would be attackers getting to it. Right behind him was Artemis. Without question he helped her into the cockpit as well. He knew that she would likely be arguing about it, but this wasn’t the time. She was pregnant, with their child, and he wasn’t going to leave her on the battlefield. The cockpit closed, and he felt just how close they were.

“This is not ideal,” she stated, her back and ass pressed against him, “Perhaps you should ensure that I am left on the top of the buildings,” she suggested, “Not that I believe that I would hamper your abilities, but I know this is not comfortable for either of us.”

“No problem,” he replied as Avarice lifted up, and without a thought he landed on the top of their building. The cock pit opened, and she moved out of it. He saw his other brides to be, and with a wave he left them. His determination was simple. He was going to ensure that they were safe. As he flew up toward them he noticed that the Lich had brought more than his servants. The same armors that he’d faced with Starlight Glimmer were there. Last time it had been a single armor, and he’d been able to beat her because of how much faster Avarice had been. This time he was facing what looked like eight of the same armors.

“Poor hero,” the Lich’s booming voice said, “Did you believe that the armor you faced the last time was the only one? Perhaps you believed that whelp that was convinced that she was my daughter was the only one capable of using it. She was a mere tool, a single pawn that I was sacrificing in order to obtain what is rightfully mine. Granted, she had an above average ability to pilot, but she was not special.”

Neither he, or the Lich, knew that Starlight was listening. That her entire world view was crumbling before her. That currently she was inside of the temple using the moment to pretend to be weak in an attempt to seduce the Prince of this Kingdom. When the words came out, the spiteful, hateful words, it was enough to cause a break in her. She’d been strong, stronger than strong, and suddenly she was truly reduced to questioning everything. Neither knew that, but the Lich would come to regret the words he’d spoken.

Instead Copper knew what was before him. WIth a determined charge he engaged the first of the armors. Like with Starlight the Armor was indeed powerful. His first impulse was to help the person inside, but a voice spoke up, and he felt the other avatar before him wiggle a little bit, “My Captain,” Artemis’ voice said through their connection, “The last time we witnessed as Starlight was consumed by the living armor. We had seen that happen, and we were almost too late then. If they have already been consumed, we must believe it happened well before they arrived. He sacrificed them far earlier. There is nothing left to save.”

He growled, the hatch on his back opened, ejecting his axe, and he swung it. The axe impacted the armor before him, splitting the helmet open, revealing a mess of warped tentacled flesh that both resembled a face, and yet resemble nothing at all. He watched as its mouth opened and a strangled cry came out, “Please, end me!” the ethereal voice shouted, the sound going everywhere, “End me now, please!”

The warped flesh didn’t resemble anything last time. He swung the axe again, gaining purchase on its chest, and pulled back. With a thrust, like last time, he drove his arm into it. He reached where the pilot would have been, and he pulled back. What was in his hand was a malformed heart. It resembled a person, but only in shape. The armor fell, the heart stopped beating, and he realized exactly what had happened. There was no saving them. There was no attempt at being the hero for them. Those poor souls had been sacrificed long before, and the others were getting closer.

“Monika,” he said as he stood there, “Do you still have connection with the satellite?” he asked as he waited from inside of the cockpit of Avarice.

“I do, darling,” she replied through the comms, “Why?”

“I want you to target all of their airships, target the armors around me, and bring them down.”

“Darling, if I do this there is a very good chance that we may have collateral damage. Those that are fighting outside may be caught up in the situation. I can however target their leader. I believe that doing so would disorient them. At least long enough that we could potentially put a stop to their atack. If I have your blessing, I will do that for you.”

He breathed out, “Okay, do it.”

The decision was one that weighed heavy on him. Targeting the lich himself meant that there was no other choice. They needed to bring him down. He had wanted to capture him, to bring him to justice, to have him face the crimes he’d committed, but there was a chance that it wouldn’t happen that way. That his entire reason for being was too terrible for them to even begin to contain. He watched as the sky began to light up, and when it did beams of light came down. They touched on the airships, and then they began to draw into a single point. It appeared that the Lich had noticed this as well.

He watched as the light focused more, and then it struck the ship in the place where the Lich should have been. The projection of the Lich was gone, the voice was gone, and the armors seemed to be confused. In that moment he went to attacking them, to destroying them, until he reached the last one. That one suddenly became very aware, and it attacked him with all that it had. He was surprised at its skill, at its ability, and he as surprised that it would be attacking so hard for someone that was already gone.

“Did you and those horrible little demi-human sex slaves of yours believe that I was that easily beaten, boy?”