Kaleb

Lying nonchalantly on an ivory bench upon the rooftop was a young man with long, white hair that gathered in clumps around his shoulders. He wore black skinny jeans, an unbuttoned, white shirt that exposed his bare chest, and black boots. He was lazily smoking a cigarette, with a very bored and depressed look in his eyes. He watched as clouds of smoke escaped from his lips and lazily floated into the atmosphere above. How suffocating. Just like love.

"Leave it alone, Treachery," Heartbreak insisted, shaking his head at the adult's child like questioning. "They're too powerful for minor embodiments like us to be playing tricks on."

"No," replied Kaleb, blinking with astonishment, "Reliving the same day? What a terrible fate for anyone. However; that sounds like the work of some science fiction novel. Sheriff, are you sure you're okay? This is very strange talk."

It would seem that Kaleb knew nothing about any sort of time loops that might be going on in the area.

"Who are we?" the smoker asked, raising his eyebrow, "Well, I suppose we're whoever we need to be. However; for now you may call me Mr. Ego. Now, do come in and tell me what you think about my friend's predicament. Id here has just been evacuated from his planet, that is under attack. What do you think he should do?"

Downstairs, the newcomers would find a beautiful castle inside, though no trace of people at first glance. The foyer was magnificent, with walls of white, trimmed with red and gold. Two tall plants stood on either side of the main entrance, and stained glass windows surrounded the double doors. On either side of the entrance, archways led into neighboring rooms. Ahead, a grant, magnificent staircase led upstairs, the stairs made of marble, with a grand chandelier lighting the way. Beyond the staircase, a hallway led to many more rooms.

Upstairs, there were even more rooms, and a grand landing or gallery which overlooked the first floor, from which the many hallways of the second floor began. Grand, white columns held the structure together, and a beautiful glass ceiling lit the gallery and the foyer below. There were undoubtedly more staircases and more stories in the palace, but the main staircase only led to the second story.

"The... oddity?" Cole asked, his eyes widening. "Naki, what do you think h-"

Skalyrith interrupted him harshly. "I'll tell the whole school, if you don't get lost right now."

Cole glared at Skalyrith with angry eyes. Ever since he'd met this girl during orientation, she had been acting so strange. At first, going out of her way to avoid talking to him, and now, she showed up and made such weird demands. Why? From what Cole had seen, she was a standout in class. Cole, on the other hand, had been doing his best to blend in. Though, the fact that he had been told to tutor Naki suggested he wasn't doing very well. What was this girl trying to achieve?

The smell of old books, tobacco, and smoke escaped the room the moment the mahogany door opened, and before Cameron, a rather antique sight would reveal itself. It was some sort of library, or perhaps a study. Then again, maybe it was a smoking room. Inside, most of the wallspace on either side of the room was filled up with huge wooden shelves, full of so many books. What sort of books could the Outerverse generate? How had she gone about building this castle? All very good questions, and perhaps the books would reveal some information on that subject. Then again, perhaps they would be useless in such a fact finding mission, relegated only to the realm of entertainment, or speaking of knowledge on some lesser subject.

In one section of this room, there appeared to be a fireplace, off in a corner somewhere to the side. The fire appeared to be lit, and a gentle crackle set the calm atmosphere of the room. The sound of a chair slightly creaking could also be heard, and as Cameron entered the room, he would even hear a chuckle and the slight mummer of conversation. The further into the library he got, the better he would be able to hear and see what was going on inside.

Sitting beside the fireplace in two leather chairs were two gentlemen, one who appeared to be a young man about Cameron's age. His eyes looked tired and afraid, as if he had been through something rather traumatizing. His brown hair was rather unkempt, and he wore a blue bath robe with the letters "OV" written in gold on a patch upon the breast. In one hand he held a glass of scotch on the rocks. It slightly trembled as he brought it to his mouth to take a sip, while the other man spoke.

"But I'm telling you, dear chap," the other man spoke, "You still have your health, don't you? It's not the end of the world."

The other man looked slightly older, and he had a very calm demeanor on his face. He was the sort of man who had an unshakeable confidence, as if all problems could be solved with a little time and reason. Anyone who looked at him could see this trait clearly written upon his face, for this demeanor was a source of pride for him, and he was not shy to wear it. His red hair was well kept under a top hat, and he was incredibly well dressed in a three piece suit. In one hand, he nursed a glass of scotch. A pipe alternated between his other hand and his mouth, where he currently was inhaling a plume of smoke after his latest attempt to reassure the young man before him.

"I'm telling you, it is the end of the world -- my world!" the young man replied, a slight agitation apparent in his voice. "If all you're going to do is b- What is this?"

"Ah, there you are," the smoker said now, turning his head towards Cameron. "We were wondering when you might join us. Come, join us. There's scotch on that table there, and cigars in the humidor, though you'll be smoking it alone. Id here doesn't smoke, and I'm rather partial to this pipe myself. Well, come on. Close the door and make up your mind, you're letting all the heat out!"

A third, empty chair faced the fireplace directly, while the other two chairs straddled it on either side. A small, wooden table rested against the wall opposite of the fireplace, where a bottle of amber liquid with a finely printed, green label on it stood next to some glasses and a small ice bucket. A small, brown box was also on the table. If one looked closely at the bottle of liquid, they would see the words, "Outerverse Scotch - Double Malt" on it on one line, and "Making Waves Since 2062" on a second line.

---

Outside, when the girl hugged the ground, a gentle breeze would blow upon the shore, lightly hugging the girl back. There would be no ambushes here, at least, not from the Outerverse itself. The bridge to the castle was very safe and sturdy, made of stone that looked as if it had been hand chiseled and bonded with the finest mortar long ago. It would hardly be obvious that this castle had only been built half an hour before the pair's arrival. Two red doors with golden handles adored the entrance to the stone beast. Next to the doors, a black plaque with golden trim was mounted upon the stone wall, shadowed by the overhang at the entrance. In gold letters upon the plaque, the words "Castle Cameron" were engraved.