3- Ghoul

The carriage had black as its main color and gold as its second. The wheels of it were huge, with its thin black tires rolling across the mucky country road, all while the mud stained the golden spokes. The wheels held up the wagon, which was eight-seated for the extra guests that would be joining them soon. The outside was black with golden lining on the edges of the cart. Inside was two front seats, and another three pairs behind, all created with royal leather red. There were small curtains beside the window for long travels, and probably the greatest bit, it wasn't animal-drawn. The carriage ran on a special white magic called oxiforum. This magic is contained within every benders pendant and has only been harvested and used by one person in the world: King Glarsow. Infinity's grandfather and Ghoul's great-grandfather. Glarsow took after his pops Shiwosca spectacularly by harvesting the oxiforum from his pendant, not dying, and using it to power carriages and other vehicles today. The best part is how it didn't render him powerless after. He still prospered as one of the most powerful soul-benders to date, and although Ghoul never got the chance to meet him, he looked up to his predecessor greatly.

The concept of oxiforum really fascinated the prince. A greater magic within benders that only one person in the ENTIRE history of Carculis has managed to wield? Well, better make room great-gramps 'cause it's about to be two. The whole reason this was on Ghoul's mind was because he was researching whatever method it was his relative used to obtain the magic. While listening to heavy metal of course. What? History is fun and Wine Roses by The Nameless helps him concentrate, don't judge. He continued to browse his mobilizer, tuning out to the conversation his parent's were having. The mobilizer was a bronze, hollowed out hemi-sphere that allowed for holograms to float up and help you search and communicate. Pretty much like any phone except a hologram. And yes, they were also invented by the great King Glarsow.

"GHOUL!" The prince heard his father yell his name from the front. He slowly drifted his eyes toward his dad's. "What?"

"Aren't you interested in who we're meeting first?"

"Eh."

Infinity called to the carriage. "Turn left." As the wheels obliged, the king went back to his excitement. "It's a star-bender! They possess abelites like-"

"Star-bending?" Ghoul liked the idea of them; but he's never seen one in his life, and quite frankly, a power that allows you to command the stars when you're grounded on a planet that's hundreds of miles away from them? Pretty useless, and he let his dad know it.

"Well, it's more than that, they can create golden ninja stars through the magic of their fingers, conjure star-bubbles for protection and temporarily stun their enemy with a substance called glitter-dust!" His dad exclaimed like it was the coolest thing ever.

Ghoul understood the hype, just didn't agree with it. "I can think of three other benders that can create bubbles, dad."

It wasn't Ghoul's intention to hurt his dad with his words, but looking at him properly now the prince could see he did. Unity swooped in and tried to knock some appreciation into Ghoul. "You could at least pretend to care."

"I'm sorry that I don't. But to be fair, I never wanted to come here in the first place." Ghoul wasn't lying. He complained the whole time while the packed last month. But his father wasn't looking for a truthful answer, just a supportive one, so Ghoul said, "I mean...I'm totally ecstatic you guys." in the most monotone voice. Unity peered over at Infinity's page on star-benders and gasped with delight. "Ghoul, this star-bender's fifteen years old!"

"And?"

"YOU'RE fifteen years old!"

"Wow, anyone ever told you how observant you are, dad?"

Unity got tired of having this conversation, so he spared the author writing it by shutting up and no longer engaging with Ghoul.

Ghoul never means to hurt his parents. The tone of his voice just comes out as whatever he's saying. Like a crappy two-in-one deal. Snarky and funny remark sold with a bitter and heinous tone. Suppose that's what comes with being soulless. Or as his parents put it: "A kid in a phase." Except that wasn't him, this was not a phase. He thought he'd made that clear when he stopped wearing his royal garments last year. Infinity always made him wear it before as "I did it when I was you're age and hated it. Now it's your turn to suffer." But he eventually gave up on trying to get to wear it. Unlike his parents, who wear their garments almost everyday. Infinity wore a tempo teal, ruffle-sleeved jacket that slightly revealed his pendant under it. He also wore a matching colored trousers with no shoes, as all benders tend not to wear shoes. Unity wore an open, basil-colored cardigan with darker hoses. All Ghoul wore was trench coat. The only thong to warm up his cold, soulless body.

A couple more hours dragged by before they got to Balleymay. Ghoul was now partially excited as most of his childhood was spent in the perimeter of the castle with nobody to talk to. Well, he did have three friends. They claimed to have come from a river and they'd draw on Ghoul's walls sometimes and prank his father Unity. But one day they said they had "cross worlds" and never came back. The saddest part of that is none of it really happened since they were Ghoul's imaginary friends.

Y'know now he was contemplating all this, a new star-bender friend won't be that bad. But first, they needed sleep. Infinity went into a 5-star hotel and booked a suite. There they set up all their stuff for the next couple days. "Get as much rest as you can, guys. We're going to the lab tomorrow."

Ghoul is usually able to sleep just fine, but in the quiet hours of the night his eyelids refused to shut until Infinity's did. "DAD!" Ghoul shot up from his bed and walked to his father's side. "Will you please quiet down and go to sleep."

"Sorry kiddo."

"Don't call me kiddo!"

"You used to love being called that, though," Infinity said somberly by the window. "I wonder what happened."

"I grew up."

"No, you just discovered heavy metal and decided you were a grown up."

"The heavy metal made me grown up."

"No son, if you ask me it made you more of a child."

"It DID. NOT." Ghoul pouted as he stomped his foot on the wooden floor. Infinity could only stare and this pubescent teen, on a mission to prove he's grown-up, by throwing a fit in front of him. Ghoul whined more. "I AM grown up! I am! I am! I am!" With every 'I am' he took another stomp on his heel. Infinity couldn't take his son seriously and doubled over laughing. Ghoul frowned some more. "What's so funny?"

Suddenly the plant on the window ledge beside Infinity began expanding. It grew into a very over-sized flower and spikes started shooting out of its stem. The pair turned to see Unity controlling the mutated flower. His eyes were baggy and crazy with anger. "GO. TO BEEEED!"

The plant bent over and its head seemingly ate Ghoul clean off the floor. The flower turned its direction at Ghoul's bed and literally spat the prince into it. It spun to the king's direction and leaned in menacingly. Infinity braced for impact and curled up into a ball as the action was repeated for him. Only when he was officially under the covers the flower planted (haha) a kiss on his forehead, leaving a hot pink petal. "Goodnight you two." Unity said sweetly, as if he didn't just violently attack his family for being loud. "Goodnight, Uni." The king whispered in return, a little shaken up.

At least now with the fearing silence in the air Ghoul could get some sleep.

******************************************************************

Next morning was quick yet slow. Quick in the way that everybody had eaten, dressed and was ready on time to see the star-bender. But slow in the way where whenever Infinity or anyone brought up the factory he'd have a silent panic and even reconsider everything. Unity had to try calm him down tons of times during breakfast and Ghoul had to snap him out of whatever deep thought he was in. It was too late to turn back now, they gotta meet this star-bender and whoever it was that runs the lab

After another mute trip in the carriage they entered Luzica's Laboratory, they were greeted at the entrance by a small, purple child. He was a metal-bender for sure with his pendant being a gear, but even that was hard to tell with a chunk of it missing. "Welcome, your majesties." He said in a raspy, distinctive voice.

Ghoul could not help but comment. "You guys never told me they did child labor at this lab."

The child proceeded to kick Ghoul right in the knee and yell all child-like, "HOW DARE YOU, I AM NOT I CHILD, I'M A GROWN MAN!! HONESTLY YOU'D THINK SOMEONE A PART OF THE MONARCHY WOULD HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR THEIR ELDERS-"

"Hi, Magnet." Unity said, cutting in on his shrieking speech. Magnet looked up at the kings of the north, his glasses almost glowing in the sunlight. "Why as I live and breathe, YOUR MAJESTIES!" He bowed down on all fours before all three adults laughed and hugged like old friends. "I knew you wanted to visit, but I got that call only a week ago, I had no idea you were serious!" Magnet said between giggles.

"Serious about what?" Infinity asked.

"That whole plan you announced, I thought it was joke!"

Everyone paused and lingered in the silence for a few seconds before Unity said. "No, we were serious, and if you're ready doctor, the bender."

Magnet jumped up and down like a kid on a holiday before running into the building. The royalties followed without any question. As they raced across the steel halls, Ghoul looked around. This place looked so fancy and cool. Different benders that were still common after the war - fire, water, earth, air - were all in science coats doing a double take as they ran by, all like "Woah, did the kings and prince of the north just run past me?"

Magnet halted at these huge, confined doors that had 'PRIVATE' literally stamped on it with green ink. Beside the door was a print scan. Magnet pressed his hand on it and kept it there until the identification was confirmed and the doors as the automatically slid open. He looked at the royal family with a buck-tooth grin. "May I present, the last star-bender known to Carculis."