Trapped in Yggdrasil

A/N: I have a poll up for you guys to vote on.

The time was slowly ticking by and Ahna sighed. She let her eyes rove over the seventh floor for the last time. The river of lava that flowed gently through the vast cavern and the crumbled ruins that had been home to many roleplay nights. Having to fall back here when the 1500 player siege came to claim the tomb and failed. This place was special to her and it was time to say goodbye. To close such a long chapter of her life. It was difficult.

Her eyes landed on the guardian again. Demiurge had been such a comfort character over the years, especially this last year. She smiled though she knew it would not show on her avatar. "It's almost midnight. But this time here has been the best." She choked a little on the words but didn't feel embarrassed. There was no one here to know she fell apart over some coding. "If I had a chance to do it all again, I would. No doubts at all."

The time was almost up, in just a few seconds the tomb and all its history would be gone. Ahna closed her eyes waiting for the forced ejection effects. It was a highly unpleasant experience, but she didn't think she could handle logging off one final time.

However, time ticked on and she didn't experience the nausea or the splitting headaches that usually accompanied being forcibly shoved back into her own mind. For a moment she thought that she had gotten off scot free, but when she opened her eyes she knew something was vastly wrong.

Instead of the water stained and slightly bowed ceiling of her bedroom she saw stalactites and the roof of a rocky cavern. Her eyes darted around the edges of her vision, but no bars, meters, or even the clock was visible. How could this be happening?

She leaned back against the half crumbled was and felt the sharp rock there poke at her clothed thigh. She could feel the heat of the seventh floor and smell the sulfur.

Felt? Heat? Smell? None of these things should have been in Yggdrasil. She wasn't sure what was happening but she knew that something had gone horribly wrong. She let her fingers run over the edge of the wall and a little gasp escaped her. She was really feeling the wall. It was as real as the desk in her home.

"Lady AntiSavior69?" A cry of panic left her lips unbidden as she moved away from the unknown voice. "My lady?!" She looked behind her to see…Demiurge?! He had his gloved hands held up and out as if half way between assisting her and showing his surrender. The was the same immaculately dressed with his signature red pinstripe suit and metal tail that swished behind him, almost agitatedly. Her eyes looked up to his face which wore a worried look. "Is something wrong?"

Her eyes zeroed in on his mouth. His lips were moving, and he was making sounds. That wasn't something Yggdrasil had programmable. She moved closer to the devil looking at him closely. "Say something again." She hadn't meant for it to sound like a demand however he spoke nonetheless.

"I asked if something was wrong?" His lips moved more and she was dumbfounded for a moment.

"Yes, something is wrong." She let the words slip from her lips without much thought.

"Whatever it is, My Lady. I will rectify it if you will allow me. I will do whatever it will take."

She reached out a hand to touch the devil and if on instinct Demiurge took her hand and dropped into a kneeling position, almost one of fealty. If he had said something she didn't hear it she could only focus on the soft fabric that she could feel in her grasp. Physically touching a character and being able to feel them wasn't something you could program into the dive system. In fact, it was illegal to try. While she was looking at their intertwined hands without a word, so was the devil. He wasn't sure what was wrong but he loathed to break his lady's thoughts.

Whatever trouble had come up, it must be important for this was the first time any of the Supreme Beings had touched one of them.

Ahna on the other hand had to know if this really wasn't the game…and there was a surefire way to do that. She withdrew her hand and before losing her courage pulled open the top of his suit jacket as he knelt in front of her. While his eyes widened he did nothing to stop her.

She pressed her hand over his heart feeling the warmth and the rapid ba-bump of his pulse. He was alive. Beneath her fingertips was a beating heart, not a shell of coding. It amazed her for a moment. The creation that her best friend had made was breathing and had a heart that pumped blood and lived.

It had taken her a moment to realize that no warning had flashed to tell her that her actions were inappropriate for the game. She had no idea how it had happened but this wasn't the game.

"My Lady, if something is amiss, you need but tell me and I will handle it." The devil insisted again, his voice not daring to go above a whisper as he let her run her fingers along his suit. He had no idea why she was acting this way but he didn't mind her affections.

"I…I don't…" Her nose crinkled as she tried to articulate the problem she was facing. However her thoughts were pulled away by an itching buzz at her temple. She reached up to make the sensation go away.

Savior.

Seh started. That was Momonga's voice. Her eyes darted around the seventh floor but saw no one other than herself and Demiurge. "I thought…" She began when her friend's voice began again.

I wasn't sure if you were still here. She could hear the relief and gratitude in his voice. I'm using the Message spell. Are you still in Nazarick?

Yes,I am standing here with Demiurge. He is talking and I can touch him. Not only that but he's got a pulse and warmth and everything. He's alive. The succubus didn't want to understate the crazy situation she found herself in as she unconsciously played with the buttons of the shirt she had yet to take her hand off of.

Yes, I was able to touch Albedo…I don't think this is an update. He let the idea of that sink in. They were stranded in what once was a game for them. The news did frighten her as it probably should have. Her eyes roved over the river of lava around her. Yeah. It was real. I have Albedo gathering the floor guardians to the sixth floor, but me and you should speak after.

I will bring Demiurge and meet you there.

She felt the connection break as if it had been some tangible thing. Looking back at the aforementioned devil, she saw him transfixed on her hand that was still resting against his chest; the tops of his ears twitched almost like an unconscious gesture. It should have shocked her, the lack of restraint she had, however it didn't. She didn't feel in the least bad for essentially groping the devil. Maybe it was because her mind was still buzzing with the hows and whys of them being here, and what that meant for them. Because it did mean a lot.

"Sorry for the wait Demiurge." Ahna gave him her softest of smiles to ease any tension he might have felt from the gesture. But she knew that by doing this it proved that this definitely wasn't an update. No, the level of detail was something that the Devs just wouldn't, and couldn't with the lack of funding, pull off. Never. As well as the fact that her actions crossed the R-rated boundary of Yggdrasil and would have been flagged immediately.

"It is no trouble, My Lady." He gave a slight incline of his head in respect. Somehow she liked the noble attention he was giving her. But she put the thought of anything further aside for now. It was time to go. She moved her hand off his chest but not before grazing her fingers under his chin to have him rise from the bow. He followed her unspoken request smoothly without hesitation. "You mentioned that something was wrong?"

"Yes, Demiurge. It's a matter that needs the Tomb's attention. Therefore, Momonga has asked all the guardians and myself to meet on the sixth floor." She looked towards the entrance of the seventh floor, missing the shocked look on the devil's face.

"This problem must be severe if we are being summoned together for the first time." The devil commented. She wasn't sure if he had made the comment out of genuine concern or if he was fishing for detail but since she had none to give him she added nothing further. He seemed to realize this before extending his arm to her. "If I may, I request that I be your escort to the sixth floor. Especially if this situation makes the Supreme Ones feel uneasy." She didn't say anything, just looped her arm through his. His tail swayed pleasantly behind them and they began to ascend the one floor it would take to get there.

It might have been quicker to use her ring but she still needed to think before seeing Momo. There were too many things that weren't adding up. All of them lead back to how the hell this had become reality.

Demiurge felt there was no real need to break the silence upon him and his lady. Clearly whatever she had to ponder was disastrous. In all the time of his creation, never had the Supreme Beings called upon the guardians to assemble in one place. Whatever this situation was, it now faced the full might of the Tomb of Nazarick. It was the guardian's chance to impress their master and mistress. So he would make sure that the situation was resolved. Permanently if need be.

The walk had only been interrupted near the end when a slight delicate voice spoke up from behind them. "My Lady!" Demiurge and Ahna turned to gaze upon the succubus that was practically dashing down the hallway to them. The redhead knew her name as Albedo from the many hours of going through each NPC's lore and backstory.

The woman rushing towards her was just as beautiful and as lifelike as Demiurge. She wore a white dress that showed her in a flattering light and caused her pale skin to become paler while contrasting beautifully with her dark hair and cute little but wings. The long locks laid tenderly over her shoulders and swayed slightly as she began to slow.

Ahna really had to admit that Tabula absolutely knew what he was doing when he created her.

Albedo's gait slowed to a stop beside them and she beamed at her. She gave them a wide smile and excitedly spoke. "You're still here!" Her hands clasped in front of herself in a way that made her biceps squish her breast and made them seem bigger. Ahna suspected that she did it on purpose.

Still the redhead smiled goodnaturedly, after all she had read how Tabula had made his creation and didn't shy away from her attention.

"My Lady, Lord Momonga has requested that you convene on the sixth floor." She moved closer, breathing heavily.

"Yes," Demiurge nodded, interrupting whatever that was. "We are headed there now."

Ahna looked back at Albedo who looked slightly put out over something. Not wanting to see the Succubus saddened, she extended her other arm to Albedo. "Come on. We still need to make it to the other floor unless you aren't done?"

The raven haired beauty perked up instantly. "Oh, I've already contacted the other floor guardians and they should be there as we speak, My lady." Her arm looped softly around the other woman's and Albedo hugged the arm to her chest. It didn't really bother Ahna as they walked.

Although she didn't see the look Demiurge flashed over the Supreme One's head, Albedo did. The succubus gave a smirk back before the exchange was cut off by Ahna. "Albedo, what is the situation as far as you know?" The woman was the leader of the guardians so if there was any information it would be with her.

"Fear not My Lady. Nazarick is on the highest level of defense until the situation becomes more clear. You and my lord will be safe and no one will step foot inside this sacred place." The succubus was proud of the fact that she could not only dissuade her lady's worries but also that she was the first to report to her supreme leader. Going forth she would be the one that would be most counted on by both Supreme Beings. Knowing she had not spoke the last of the information she continued on. "Sebas is currently scouting around the area. Although I am not positive of what he is looking for, rest assured that we will find whatever is amiss."

Ahna smiled softly, squeezing both Demiurge's arm and Albedo's, which caused both guardian's to look extremely pleased at her words. "I have no doubts about my guardians' capabilities." She almost chuckled as they were practically beaming with pride at the praise.

"Thank you My Lady. We will commit all that we are to live up to your expectations." The succubus's voice rose several octaves higher in her excitement. She nodded and allowed her mind to rush back to the previous train of thought, now that the woman's distraction was gone. It was a surprise to find that her mind swirled faster than ever before and yet she could keep up with it better.

If they were really in the game Yggdrasil then it stood to reason that something drastic must have happened in the real world to cause this. Ahna looked at her companions and cringed. She could not actually call this a fake world now that the NPCs were living breathing beings. Perhaps Other World would be a better term to refer to it as.

However, that begged the question. Was she and Momo pulled into this universe or were they trapped in the servers as some data ghost? Maybe she died or was in a coma and this is the paradise she conjured?

Ahna, that's so fucking lame. She squealed in her mind. But as her eyes trailed over the devil, who was discussing the security measures that were being put into place and the raven haired succubus, who countered the measures or nodded in affirmation, she couldn't help but smile. It wouldn't be such a bad way to spend the afterlife.

Takashi would be slightly affronted that she was pining after his character again but would ultimately blame his flawless design for the trouble. She knew that he had made Demiurge to be the ultimate villain. And boy was he ever. He charmed his allies and enemies with both charisma and wit while having no care for the damage he inflicted upon his opponents. Really there wasn't much more that you needed to rule over the masses.

Tabula, on the other hand, would have cared less and maybe even encouraged such a mindset. He did make the female very promiscuous. She eyed both guardians noting that they were very attractive by society's standards…and her own.

She squinted slightly as the light from the amphitheater shined upon her. This was the floor that was guarded by Bukubukuchagama's creations Aura and Mare. As far as she recalled the two were the youngest of the guardians.

It was time to meet the other guardians.