Ares Srowa was born the son of a disgraced duke, burdened with the ambition of restoring his family’s lost prestige. Endowed with the Sign of the Sage, he possessed great magical ability and extensive knowledge, which earned him a place within the Hero’s Party. Despite his talents, Ares’s arrogance and insecurity often created tension within the group.Ruti is the younger sister of Red (Gideon Ragnason) and the former leader of the Hero’s Party. As the bearer of the Hero’s Blessing, the rarest and most powerful of the divine blessings, she was destined to lead humanity in the battle against the Demon Lord. The blessing granted her extraordinary strength, speed, and resilience, but also suppressed her emotions and limited her ability to live as an ordinary person, deeming such feelings unnecessary for a hero.

When the other members of the party eventually matched Red’s level of ability, Ares took the opportunity to expel him, claiming that Red was not a “true companion.” To conceal his actions, he told the others that Red had voluntarily left. This manipulation ultimately fractured the group, leading several members including Yarandrala, the new recruit Tisse Garland, and Danan LeBeau to grow disillusioned with Ares. Even Ruti Ragnason, the Hero herself, eventually rejected his authority and distanced herself from him.

Ares’s downfall came when he attempted to manipulate Ruti into continuing her battle against the Demon Lord, despite her decision to abandon the role of Hero. When she refused him, Ares confronted Red in a final duel. The battle ended decisively with Red severing his hands and delivering a fatal strike to his chest using Ruti’s sword. Mortally wounded, Ares bled to death, pleading desperately for salvation from Shaisandan or anyone who would listen, but his cries went unanswered.

Ares is depicted as a tall man with a refined yet stern appearance that reflects his noble origins. He has short, wavy purple hair and sharp violet eyes, which give him a distinguished but often cold expression. His attire is characteristic of a high-ranking magician: he wears ornate robes accented with gold and deep colors, signifying both his status as a sage and his aristocratic pride.

He is most often seen carrying a staff befitting his role as a magic user, further emphasizing his identity as the bearer of the Sage’s Blessing. His overall presentation highlights his self-image as an intellectual and noble figure, though it stands in stark contrast to the arrogance and insecurity that define his personality.

At first glance, Ares presents himself as a confident and refined individual, projecting an image of intelligence and compassion. However, this outward façade conceals his true nature: a self-serving and cowardly man who avoids direct confrontation with powerful foes despite his formidable magical abilities. He is quick to exploit his strength against weaker opponents but falters when faced with genuine danger.

Ares’s defining trait is his arrogance, stemming from his obsession with divine blessings. As the bearer of the rare Sage’s Blessing, he judges others solely by their blessings while disregarding their personal qualities or individual achievements. This superiority complex fuels his disdain for Red, whose more practical guidance and reliability he resented, as well as his own family, whom he looked down upon for possessing weaker blessings.

His immaturity is further displayed in his personal rivalries. Upon discovering that Red and Rit were living together, Ares assumed Red sought Rit’s nobility rather than her affection, projecting his own opportunistic mindset. His reaction culminated in vandalizing their apothecary in a tantrum, reflecting his spoiled and envious nature.

Ares also harbored an unhealthy obsession with Ruti, desiring to marry her both for her power and status. His fixation, combined with his treatment of Red, earned him Ruti’s contempt and outright rejection. Following this, his ambition spiraled into desperation, leaving him increasingly delusional and unstable.

Despite being part of the Hero’s Party, Ares’s poor leadership and reckless decisions ultimately destabilized the group. His insistence on expelling Red who served as the party’s unifying force contributed directly to its disbandment. His inability to recognize his own flaws, combined with his tendency to blame others for his failures, underscored his lack of true wisdom.

In his final moments after being mortally wounded by Red, Ares revealed his cowardice once more, begging for his life and questioning why Red succeeded where he had failed. Observers such as Shisandan noted that his downfall lay not in his blessing but in his lack of judgment and self-awareness, as his arrogance prevented him from ever confronting his shortcomings.

As the bearer of the Sage’s Blessing, Ares possesses considerable magical power, specializing in destructive elemental spells. His abilities mark him as one of the strongest mages of his era, though his lack of strategy and reliance on raw power frequently undermine his effectiveness.

Fire Blast
A concentrated burst of fire magic designed for direct offense.

Fire Storm
A large-scale fire spell capable of engulfing multiple enemies within its range.

Tornado Attack
A wind-based spell that creates a violent vortex to repel or damage opponents.

Despite his magical strength, Ares demonstrates significant weaknesses. He lacks physical durability and combat skill, leaving him vulnerable in close-quarters encounters. This is shown when he is easily overpowered by opponents such as Ruti, who was able to wound him directly, and Yarandrala, who struck him in the face. His final battle against Red ended decisively when Red severed his hands and delivered a fatal strike using Ruti’s sword.

Ares’s shortcomings also extend to his intellect. Although regarded as a “sage,” he displays poor tactical ability and an overreliance on his blessing. His misguided leadership caused fractures within the Hero’s Party, prompting members such as Danan LeBeau, Yarandrala, Tisse Garland, and even Ruti Ragnason herself to abandon the group. His inability to unite the party or provide effective strategy ultimately contributed to its disbandment, highlighting the disparity between his supposed wisdom and his actual incompetence.

Following his death, Ares was buried in Zoltan, though his memory is largely remembered with disdain. His betrayal of the Hero’s Party and his role in Red’s expulsion overshadow any accomplishments he achieved as a mage. While his former companions attended his funeral, they expressed little to no sympathy, viewing his downfall as the consequence of his arrogance and selfish ambitions.

Ares’s actions ultimately contributed to the dissolution of the Hero’s Party, as his expulsion of Red destabilized the group and eroded the trust of its members. After Ruti relinquished her role as the Hero, the remaining members went their separate ways, with several choosing to settle in Zoltan. In this regard, Ares’s “legacy” is remembered less for his contributions in the battle against the Demon Lord and more for the fracturing of the very party he claimed to strengthen.