Kyros of Zarax

Kyros of Zarax, later known as Hippomenes, was a protege of Pythagoras, who lived in ancient Greece during the 6th century BCE. He was also a renowned athlete, which made him a hero to many people.
==Biography==
===Time in Samos===
One day, Kyros and Pythagoras strolled through the town of Samos, with people eyeing Kyros due to his victories at the Olympic Games of Elis. After a frugal breakfast, their journey through the city was interrupted by Pythagoras, as he had heard sounds coming from a nearby blacksmith and entered the building. Following this, Pythagoras started an experiment with two hammers and an anvil, creating different kinds of sound.Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy – Divine Science: Chapter 2 - Kyros of Zarax
As his master was intrigued, Kyros and Pythagoras took ten differently sized hammers back to their villa, to which Pythagoras continued his experiments on the anvil the blacksmith had delivered. By nightfall, he had made many notes and mumbled something about the tetractys, which Kyros did not understand.
The following day, a gathering of renowned scholars was held at their villa, and Pythagoras explained to them his theory. Even though some people were skeptic, most of them understood and praised him for it.
===Exploits in Croton===
Not too long after this meeting, Pythagoras and Kyros traveled to Croton, a smaller town renowned for the intellect of its citizens. Upon their arrival, a crowd was waiting to welcome them and word of their arrival spread fast. With this, Pythagoras soon began to give teachings to the citizens of Croton, who all admired him.
During this time, Alcmaeon arrived at the academy as well, and Pythagoras took him under his wing. Even though Alcmaeon was very intelligent, he was also very arrogant and undisciplined, and did not get along with Kyros very well. Accompanying this, Kyros met with Milo, an athlete like himself, and decided to teach him everything he knew.
As a result, Milo became the winner of the next four festivals, overtaking Kyros, his master. While Kyros had mixed feelings over his defeat by his pupil, he did attend the modest party after the events to honor him. However, at the celebration, Alcmaeon drank too much wine and angrily left.
===The escape===
On his way to the gymnasium, Kyros heard an animal howl and went to investigate. He soon found Alcmaeon torturing a dog, and decided to stop him by force. Soon after this, it was decided that Alcmaeon had to leave the city, and Pythagoras declared that he was no longer a brother to them, with the best course of action being that the two should consider him to be dead.
Not long after that, the Council of Citizens organized a banquet to honor Pythagoras. During the banquet, Kyros watched as Myia and Milo danced, until he heard a crashing sound. As it turned out, one of the pillars that held the roof in place broke, causing chunks of stone to fall down. In the chaos, the debris crushed one citizen, and so Milo and Kyros decided to support the roof, in order to help save many lives, including Pythagoras. It was Kyros' suspicion that the column had been sabotaged, revealing the tension in the city.
While Kyros and Milo escorted Pythagoras back to his house, along with four other bodyguards, they were attacked by a skilled group of hired men that attempted to take their lives. In the end, they managed to fight them off, though most of the bodyguards were killed in the struggle. As they returned to their villa, they were followed by an angry mob, to which Milo confronted them and sacrificed himself. This allowed Kyros and Pythagoras to use a secret passage to escape from Croton.
===The desert ===
Many years after, Kyros and Pythagoras journeyed through a desert. Despite Kyros' worries about their water supply diminishing rapidly, Pythagoras seemed to have a clear goal in mind, and they eventually met Hermes Trismegistus. As Kyros observed his staff, which was decorated with two serpents, a voice emanated from it that told Pythagoras that he was a worthy successor. Following this encounter, Kyros was engulfed by darkness.
When Kyros woke up, Pythagoras was supping him water, until he gradually regained his senses. He then noticed the staff in Pythagoras' hands, and that one of his master's thighs was made out of gold. However, Pythagoras told him their journey had come to an end and that he had served him well.
===Meeting with Aphrodite ===
Even though Kyros knew very well he was no longer in the prime of his life, he wished to challenge Princess Atalanta of Arkadia to a race, in order to earn the chance to marry her. However, losing the race would result in his death, so he went to ask Pythagoras for advice. He was told that he would find what he needed in an abandoned temple which had revered the goddess Aphrodite. Halfway through his journey to the temple, Kyros was struck by a fierce blizzard, and he saw a woman unnaturally walking through the temple wall, and the next thing he felt were the sun's rays on his skin.
He woke up in the middle of an orchard to find the same woman as before, now plucking apples. As he tried to talk to her, she did not seem aware of his presence, and walked towards a tall building, carrying three apples. Kyros recognized the building as the temple of Aphrodite, and watched how the woman placed the three apples under a statue.
After that, Kyros awoke once more, this time covered by snow and without feeling any of his limbs. Despite this, he managed to enter the temple and find a golden apple on the spot were the woman had placed the three apples before.
===Race in Arcadia===
After his adventure in the temple of Aphrodite, Kyros made his way to King Iasius of Arkadia, who seemed pleased by the thought of his daughter marrying a former champion. He met with the princess, Atalanta, and he realized that he would rather die trying to win her hand than live without her, having fallen deeply in love with Atalanta.
When the race started, Kyros used the golden apple to his advantage, stroking it whenever Atalanta was in front of him, which caused her to stumble and eventually fall down, giving Kyros a chance to overtake her and win the competition.Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Arkadia: Racecourse of Atalanta
==Legacy==
When the Isu Aletheia created a simulation of Elysium for the misthios Kassandra to better learn how to wield the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus which Pythagoras had passed on to her, she met a simulation of Kyros within.Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis: Fields of Elysium – The Keeper and Kyros
==Personality and traits==
Even though Kyros was an accomplished athlete, and could have had a great life without Pythagoras' help, he was very loyal to his master. This loyalty stemmed from a great admiration for Pythagoras' ideals, as well as his personality.
Kyros was also a very determined person, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals and ambitions, including one instance of cheating to spare his own life and marry Atalanta, much to her relief. He would also do anything he could to help out his friends or to save someone from injustice.
Along with this, as a trained athlete, Kyros always kept his body in great condition. As a result, he was a very strong and muscular man, which showed itself in the victories of the tournaments he entered into, as well as his combat prowess during the ambush on himself and Pythagoras. Kyros was also very tall, which gave him an impressive appearance, and he was bald with a small beard.
==Trivia==
*Kyros' memories were extracted from the genetic memory of one of his descendants by Abstergo Industries, and were relived as part of Project Legacy in 2012.
*In Greek mythology, the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes is dated to the , which corresponds to the period of that spanned from c. 1600 BCE – c. 1100 BCE. Hippomenes and Atalanta being contemporaries of Pythagoras is therefore highly anachronistic.
==Gallery==
Guido_Reni_-_Atalanta_e_Ippomene_(Napoli).jpg|Atalanta and Hippomenes by 
ACOD TFoA - Kyros of Zarax.png|Kyros of Zarax in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey - The Fate of Atlantis: Fields of Elysium
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy 
*Assassin's Creed: Odyssey 
**The Fate of Atlantis: Fields of Elysium 
==References==
Category:Individuals
Category:Greeks
Category:Athletes
Category:Bodyguards
Category:Occultists
Category:Individuals who held Pieces of Eden
Category:Olympic champions
Category:Elysians
Category:Animus hosts