In the late 21st century, economic and religious upheavals led to widespread unrest, and then to a devastating world war. As cities began to disappear from the map, salvation came from the most unlikely of sources - the gods of Olympus, Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Ares, all recently returned to earth to save humanity from itself. Stunned nations quickly became ardent supporters, following the Greek gods in their pursuit of a new way of life, a rebuilt society in which old borders and beliefs no longer exist. A society they called Olympia. Nearly five hundred years later, Anthony Kensom lives in the nation of Athens with his aunt and his domineering grandmother. The early loss of his parents, and his struggles since have made him an outcast, and angry at the gods who have let him suffer. An incident at school leads him into the Athenian Army, where outcasts thrive, and Anthony finds his true calling as a commander and strategist. Thrust through the ranks by skill and by fortune, he leads the soldiers of Athens into the glorified bloodsport they now call war. But his new glory is short lived. Anti-Olympia rebels known as Faithless seek to undermine him for their own purposes, using his past in an attempt to turn him against the gods. Olympia is a cage, they protest, and the more Anthony fights against their message, the more he begins to see the chains that keep him shackled.