In Thrace, Alcides grew into a formidable gladiator, gaining a reputation as a fierce and skilled fighter. His training in the arenas of Thrace was rigorous, and he had honed his combat abilities to perfection. The people of Thrace began to admire him not only for his strength but also for his humility and kindness, which he had inherited from his surrogate mother, Melissa.
As Alcides continued to excel in the gladiatorial games, rumors of his greatness reached distant lands, including the city of Athena, ruled by his biological father, King Gaius. The prophecy of the Pythia had not been forgotten, and the king's fear of the child who would one day challenge his rule still haunted him.
King Gaius, still desperate for an heir, had since remarried and had a legitimate son, who he named Oct
