As Sora won another match, the crowd cheered wildly. Athena herself descended from her spot on Mount Olympus to congratulate his winning streak, announcing her support to all of Greece. However, while Sora was celebrating another victory, someone else was looking back at his countless losses.
Miles from Olympus Coliseum stood the city-state of Sparta. It's soldiers were strong and loyal, following their leader, the god of war Ares, into countless battles. Ares had recently returned from his visit to the coliseum, planning his next conquest. Or he would, rather, if a certain obstacle didn't stand in his way.
"I don't get it!" Ares shouted as he smashed his hands against the table. If it hadn't been made by Hephaestus, the table would've likely been in pieces. He had likely lost many tables that way. "I've sent assassins, monsters, and even my sons!" He rubbed his forehead as if he had a migraine. "Not that they could start a war if they tried…" Ares regained his anger quickly, resuming his train of thought. "But I still can't take Athens! No matter what I do, Athena's always one step ahead of me!"
A new voice spoke from behind Ares. "What's this? A foe even the great god of war cannot defeat?" The voices owner was a masked man garbed in complex darkly-colored clothes. On his torso was an intricate symbol loosely resembling a heart chained by thorns, a symbol that could strike fear into those who knew its meaning. He had picked up a figure from Ares' table, seemingly inspecting it's every feature closely.
"Who are you and how did you get into my planning room!" Ares screamed, his anger boiling. "Did those lazy idiots let you in? Fear! Terror!"
"No need to worry. I allowed myself in."
"Who do you think you are? Let me guess… You're one Athena's 'diplomats?'" Ares made sure to emphasize the last word with a sarcastic tone and matching hand gestures. "Well, too bad! I'm not gonna let you talk me out of it this time!"
"I assure you, I have no connection to Athena. In fact," the man said has he gently placed the figurine back in its place, "I also believe Athens should fall."
Ares stopped for a moment, stunned by the unexpected response. "You do? I mean, of course you do!" Ares regained a cheerful, if not aggressive, mood. "I'll destroy my sister's precious Athens, weather she likes it or not!"
"Let's not be overconfident," the masked man calmly said. "You're certainly stronger than her, but you can't deny that she is a worthy opponent."
"Hah! For me? I'm the god of war!" Ares arrogantly boasted.
"When was the last time you defeated her?" the masked man asked with a devilish grin. Ares' confidence was replaced by annoyance, unable to think of response.
"Don't worry," the masked man continued, "I can help you."
"What could you do that I haven't already tried?"
"You've heard of the Heroes Cup, correct?"
"You mean Sport's tournament? Yeah, I just went over there."
"It appears *Athena has picked a champion. If that champion were too fall, it could lower her morale."
"I get it…" Ares said, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "So all we have to is beat this champion! Who is this guy?"
The masked man summoned an orb in his hand, the orb displaying the image of a youth armed with a key-like weapon. "His name is Sora."
Ares began to laugh. "Squirt? He's my champion!"
"It seems he disagrees," the masked man said as the orb's image shifted to a victorious Sora standing next to Athena.
Ares' mouth dropped, his face displaying a mixture of shock and anger. If his face wasn't already a bright shade of red, it would've just gone crimson with rage. "That traitor! I'll destroy him!" he shouted as he clenched his fists.
"I don't doubt that you could, but you shouldn't waste your energy on him."
"You're right! I get my best soldier…," Ares declared as he began pacing, thinking of each of his elite warriors.
"I don't believe any of your soldiers could match Sora. However… I could provide a champion that could face him."
"Someone better than my soldiers? HA! I'd like to see that!"
As if on cue, the wall beside them fell with a large crash, startling Ares. The masked man, however, remained unfazed as the wall continued to crumble away, revealing a giant boar clad in crimson armor similar to Ares himself. On its forehead it wore the same thorned heart symbol the masked man displayed so proudly.
"Allow to introduce the Havoc Beast," the masked man said. "As you can see, I've already given it an appropriate appearance. A creature as powerful as this would certainly be able to face Athena's champion."
Ares' face lit up with glee like a child's in a candy store. "How much do you want for it?" he desperately asked, "Two hundred drachma? Five hundred drachma? I own a city-state, you know! Money is no object!"
"I have no use for your currency. There is, however, a trade I would be willing to make. I will trade it for two hundred of your soldiers."
"My soldiers? I can't just give up my army!"
"What is an army compared to your sisters humiliation," the masked man said, raising his arm to begin a handshake.
Ares took a moment to think over the offer, weighing his choices. After some time, he raised his arm to meet the man's, shaking his hand while saying "You've got a deal!"
"Good," the masked man said with sinister glee, though Ares was to preoccupied to notice. The man approached the door. "You'll find I've already claimed your trade. I wish you luck in your attack…" The masked man finished his statement with a whisper, just quiet enough to avoid Ares' notice, "as foolish as it is."
Instead of reaching for the door, the masked man vanished into a cloud of darkness, disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.
Meanwhile, Ares laughed maniacally, rubbing his hands together with an enormous grin on his face. "You shouldn't of crossed me, Squirt… I'm gonna teach you what happens to people who mess with the god of war..."