Altors

"This looks like from a very large bird," a woman in the crowd said.

"There was no bird that had such a large footprint like this," replied the other girl.

"What happened here?" Seira mumbled as she stared down at the large footprint.

"We don't know. Miss Elena just ordered us to clean and restore the grasses and soil here" Almira shrugged; shaking her head "But I guess Ms. Elena knows something about the creature who did this"

Seira and Almira lay their eyes on the middle-aged woman on the other side wearing a restrained expression and calm posture; hands behind her back. The middle-aged woman gazes at their way, directly staring at Seira who brings her gaze away.

"Now move your feets and start working on the one yesterday and the others begin on this one" ordered Ms. Elena before leaving them.

Seira held Almira's hand using her other hand. She put down the pail of the magic water from the well and looked seriously at Almira who also put her pail in the ground. They had been transporting water from the backyard of the palace to the field since Ms. Elena left. The water in the well has a small amount of magic that had been used for a long time to keep the plants healthy in the palace based on Ms. Elena's story to them. Other servants concentrate on using their abilities in the field while the remaining take turns fetching water and digging, applying, and smoothing the soil in the destroyed part of the field.

"About the field" She started thinking what to describe what he heard earlier "I think it must be a creature that….. you know a powerful kind"

"How can you say so?"

"Last night, I woke up at 2:00 and I heard a loud, deep and resonant sound coming from this direction also. It was followed by a loud flapping of wings that felt heavy"

"It can be a large bird, there are some animals that mostly mages used that were actually bigger than us" Almeria raises her shoulders slightly and momentarily.

"Can a bird make the grass into ashes and the soil into some dry, cracked one? It seems like the life was literally sucked out of them"

Almira didn't respond for a moment "Then it must be one of the Altors" she mumbled.

Seira narrowed her eyes "Altors?"

"Yes, it is the only thing I can think of. Something powerful and a large creature, it fits" Almira replied. She narrowed her eyes promptly "Don't tell me you don't know them? I thought you work at a library, how come you don't actually read some of the books about them?"

"Well, I don't want to read anything about elemental magics or history" Seira once told the three girls where she works and her current situation when they asked about her reason for being a slave. The three had the same reason for every servant, to pay off their debts. Bella for her family who went bankrupt, Lana for her sick sister and Almira's mother who was about to go to jail from debt.

Almira sighed "It is a belief that Altors are the creatures that represent the seven elements to balance the world like why the goddess Silvra created the chosen. They are said to be large, big and powerful beings that hold the same abilities of the elemental users that we know and even way more powerful than them" Almira paused "So in that sense, black ashes and lifeless like…… maybe it was Tenebris!"

Seira tilted her head, not following Almira's remark "So, who's this Tenebris?"

Almira crossed her arms "Tenebris is the protector and holder of the element of darkness like the prince, he was a black dragon if I'm not mistaken but rumors say that he has a rather unpredictable behavior and kill humans who are weak"

"Is there someone who can control them?" Seira asked curiously.

"I don't know about that because the books in our library are so few" Almira rolled her eyes "But my grandmother says that one of the chosens will be able to control them one day"

Seira frowned, immersed in the story of Almeria "Chosen?"

"The chosen to the throne of Queens—the destined princess like Queen Evanore" Almira replied. She always finds telling stories about the magics, elements and the throne fun.

"Then, do you mean the late queen was chosen by the goddess and they can control the Altors?"

Almira shook her head "Unfortunately she didn't get to control even one of the Altors. Maybe she was not the one who could. And no, the goddess didn't choose the person that will be going to be the next princess or queen of the kingdom. My grandmother said it was random and the fate itself is the one who chooses but unfortunately the destined princess after Queen Evanore was still not showing herself, some said that she might have died before knowing her identity or whatnot" a disappointed expression made to Almira's face.

"But I believe that she was somewhere in this kingdom, right? Like why would the goddess invest time and power to make these destined princesses if she would die without fulfilling her mission right? It's a very incoherent idea"

Seira nodded, not knowing what to say or more like she doesn't have anything to say. She didn't really invest time in reading anything about the palace. She had so much to do and to think. But hearing Almira, something about the stories piqued her interest. Maybe it is because the story was new to her and sounded magical. Right. That may be the reason.

"Hey, what are you two still doing there? They still need water" one of the servants said to them.

"Sorry" Seira and Almira replied at the same time; picking the pails.

.....

Seira with a tray in her hands opened the door. The diner room came into view. After her conversation with Almira, the two didn't get to talk again as they needed to gather more water. She left when the clock hit 7:45.

She promptly opened the door of the main room of the prince. There's no one in the room. The bed did not seem to be touched. Her eyes furrowed. He was still in the office?! Shaking her head, she picked out the tray once again and headed to the office.

She knocked three times before stepping inside. Her eyes landed on the man wearing eyeglasses. Strands of his black hair fell freely in the side of his face; his hands were holding a paper again. She bowed even though he could not see her.

"Good morning, Your Highness. This is your breakfast" she put the tray to the table, noticing another tray on it. He didn't eat the meals she brought.

"Is there anything else you want?"

"Nothing, you can leave," Kyrian said, still fixated on the reports he was reading, not sparing Seira a glance.

Seira bowed again before closing the door quietly. She trudged to the prince's room to clean up.