Altan Trengsin

## Biography

### Early Life

Altan Trengsin is one of two known survivors of the Speerly Massacre that occured 20 years before the start of the book. He was trapped in a cell as a subject of experiments by the Mugenese for years, during which the Massacre happened.

After he was rescued he was taken in by Master Irjah, who trained him as a warrior and helped feed the opium addiction the Mugenese had started. By the start of the book he is in his final year at Sinegard Academy and the star of the school.

### Sinegard Academy

Altan was a student at Sinegard academy for five years. During that time, he became the combat and academic star of the school. During his first year, he had an intense rivalry with Tobi, which concluded with the final fight of their combat trials in which Altan was victorious.

In his first year, Masters Jiang and Irjah fought to have him as a student for Lore and Strategy, respectively, but the Empress stepped in after watching the combat trials and forced Altan to pledge Strategy. He graduated after Rin's first year.

### The Cike

After the Academy, Altan is sent to join the Cike due to his power. A few years later, Commander Tyr is killed, and Altan takes over as Commander of the Cike. After the battle of Sinegard, he escorts their newest recruit Rin to Khurdalain, where they have been fighting the Mugenese siege. During that time, he trains her more in combat and relentlessly tries to get her to summon the Phoenix as she did at Sinegard.

At Khurdalain, he constantly struggles with Jun and the other division commanders who distrust the Cike and see Altan as little more than a boy. As the siege progresses and after a series of failures, Altan becomes increasingly desperate and paranoid, not trusting anyone from outside the Cike.

After he finds out that they have been lied to about the direction of the Mugenese attack, he leads the Cike towards Golyn Niis, where they are the first to notice the massacre that has happened. Altan, bitter about his failure as commander and the needless slaughter of civilians, sets out for the Chuluu Korikh and releases Feylen before being subdued by Mugenese forces and brought back into the lab he spent his childhood in, under the cruel supervision of Shiro. When he is drugged and tied to a table, he begs Rin to kill him, but her resolve results in him showing her the source of his power, the hate of the Speerlies. Together, they escape the facility, and Altan makes his last stand covering for Rin as he fights off the Mugenese and destroys the facility in a column of fire, killing himself as well.

## Personality

In Sinegard, he was seen as a mysterious, strong & intelligent person. He was implied to be introverted and often trained alone, most likely preferring his own company. Although Altan is serious and hardworking, described by Baji as an "old man in a young man's body", he is also caring and protective towards the Cike, challenging Jun to ensure their safety and putting his own safety at risk to soothe Suni and Feylen. He has a wry sense of humor that is particularly visible when he teases Rin. He is perfectionistic and reacts strongly to failure, relapsing into addiction and becoming paranoid. His past affects him strongly and he driven by the belief that he must avenge Speer's genocide, and can act ruthlessly if it benefits this goal. He conceals his rage and does not let anyone see his true feelings, and only truly cares for his revenge against the Mugenese for the destruction of Speer.

## Physical Description

Altan is described as several shades darker than the other Sinegard students with hair the color of wet ink. His skin is stated to give him a “unique, regal air,” At Sinegard, he had a military cut and while he was in the Cike he let it grow out. His face is angular and handsome and his eyes are crimson; he has a scar running up from his right cheek. He is tall and built, but not bulky. He favours a trident. He wears a crescent moon pendant which is a Speerly necklace & which Tearza is also described as wearing.

## Trivia

* He was raised by Strategy Master Irjah since he was liberated from the research facility.
* He was mute for the first 3 years after he was rescued from the facility.
* Yin Vaisra helped train him when he was younger and he led the team that liberated him.
* Was known as “pride of the island” on Speer.
* He replaced Chaghan as lieutenant once he became part of the Cike, causing a rift between them and it ending in a duel.
* He possessed his signature trident since he lived on Speer.
* For the first time in Sinegard’s history he received bids from all 7 masters.
* Fluent in Mugenese.