Altair followed the Humanoid for another ten minutes when he saw her pull out a rebreather mask, basically a mask to filter toxins or chemicals from the air. "Well that's odd" thought Altair as he watched her put it on.
"Hey, should I have a mask too?" asked Altair, obvious worry in his voice.
"No, Acolyte. You should sleep" replied the Academy staff as she abruptly stopped and turned around to look at Altair.
They had stopped right before two huge archaic doors with various symbols and ancient script all over it. The doors were massive, most likely weighing several tons. Altair wasn't sure how one would even get the doors open, but that was the least of his concern right now.
There were several vents that lined both sides of the corridor leading up to the door, and Altair heard a hiss as some sort of white vapor was released from them. The Temple staff member backed up to the door and continued to watch him as the gas filled the corridor.
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Five Templar were seated in front of several displays looking in at the various acolytes and their activities. On the central screen was the scene playing out involving Altair and the poisonous gas.
"Where did you find this one?" said one Templar to the other that had brought Altair in.
"The Palentar made a deal with his people in exchange for this one's brother. They were meant to take care of some raiders that were slowly killing them off if his brother went with them to join their order as a disciple. They mistakenly missed this one's talent and left him behind. I had been watching these two for awhile wondering how I would get them to agree to coming off world. It was unfortunate that we lost one visibly showing signs of talent, but his brother will do just fine."
"Luck was on our side when the Palentar were mysteriously killed outside the planet before they could make it back to help with the raiders" he said with a chuckle. The other Templars gave him a knowing glance.
"Once the Palentar were taken care of, I waited until the raiders had almost destroyed everything and then rushed in and saved the day. This one almost unleashed devastating powers in his anger and rage. He has much more potential than what I had originally thought. Of course, we will use the Palentar as a source for him to improve and develop his skills. None of that will matter though if he dies in the first trial." He said.
"Masterfully done!" clapped one of the other Templar as he laughed at the Altair's misfortune. We will have to keep our eye on this one if he makes it through. His time is quickly running out though. This one may be too soft."
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Altair looked around in panic. The temple staff continued to stand there, almost mocking him knowing he was about to die. Altair had too much to live for though and was not ready to make the journey to the other side.
"Please forgive me, but I must go on" mumbled Altair under his breath. With a burst of speed he did not know he was capable of, he tackled the Academy staff to the ground and ripped her mask off. Completely caught off guard, she didn't have time to react before she was sucking in the deadly poisonous gas. Altair bashed her head into the basalt stone floor until he heard the crunch of her skull breaking.
With tears in his eyes, he slowly got up and looked at his hands. That was the first person he had ever killed with his bare hands. It felt more real and personal than using a plasma rifle. A wave of remorse swept over him, but he knew that if he wasn't going to move, she would have watched him fall over and die in the gas. He now understood what the Master Templar meant when he told him that he had done his part and he would now have to survive and do his part in this place.
He put the mask on, holding his breath all this time and exhaled with the air he had left in his lungs to clear out the rebreather. Sucking in clean air he continued to wait until the doors would presumably open. As he waited, he felt the hate he had towards the Palentar come back to the surface. If not for them, that worker would not have lost her life, he wouldn't have had to take it in cold blood. He wouldn't have to be here fighting for his life so he could get his revenge.
This place would make him strong and make the Palentar regret they had ever come to his world and stolen his brother.
The gas started to clear out and the doors made a deep rumbling sound as they swung open, welcoming Altair to his new temporary home.
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"Looks like he made it through just fine" said one of the Templar watching Altair cautiously walk through the doors. "We will see if he continues to persevere. He struggled with that kill, and it was obvious he had deep remorse after the deed was done. I was beginning to wonder if he was even going to put his mask on for a minute."
"The boy will do just fine, even now you can almost feel the hate that keeps him going. I'm sure that in his mind he's blaming everything he's done and will continue to do on the Palentar. The Irony" Laughed another Templar obviously enjoying the show.
The Templar that brought Altair to this world continued to watch and remained silent. He sat deep in thought and remembered his own time in this gods forsaken place. The Acolyte and himself were very similar at one time. But he quickly brushed those memories to the side and brought himself back to the now. By his estimation, the trials were just beginning, and the Acolytes would find themselves face to face before too long.