Marcus Fabius Maximus is a Patrician of one of the most elite families in the history of Ancient Rome. Married to the daughter of the legendary murderous Dictator Sulla, he holds the highly prestigious position of Rex Sacrorum, one of the most elite priesthoods that is quite onerous and has zero political power. Maximus has a simple view of the world; Romans are the most important and intelligent people in the world and everyone else are barbarians. His closest friend and bodyguard is a German woman named Kara. Kara is a powerful, muscular, scarred, tattooed former champion gladiatrix. A legendary warrior, she possesses a unique view of Romans and their obsession with politics and other unimportant activities. Ordered by his murderous father-in-law, Dictator Sulla, Maximus and Kara are forced to investigate a murderous ghost, a monstrous specter claiming to be Sulla's infamous archenemy. Having helped save the Spanish armies from disaster, Kara and Maximus investigate a man claiming to be the high priest of the God of Sleep, Hypnos. Maximus suspects the true power is something quite ancient and terrible... Sent to Sparta by the Senate, Kara and Maximus discover an ancient artifact devoted to Ares, the monstrous god of war, and a secret cult of Spartan warriors secretly being manipulated by some of the most dangerous monsters in mythological history... At the request of the legendary Julius Caesar, Kara and Maximus explore rumors of a secret, bloody fertility cult inhabiting Rome. They must destroy the horrors that rise in the dark Vatican woods before Rome is transformed into a city of death and horror. A political priest. A gladiatrix bodyguard. The vilest occult evils ancient Rome could produce. Three volatile ingredients in author Frank Schildiner's THE CHAINS OF ARES, the first volume from SCHILDINER'S WORLDS, an imprint of Pro Se Productions.