Zeus' daughter, Athena, held the title of goddess of war and was idolized by many as their "Saints" in heroic battles of protection. These Saints were easily identifiable by the Sacred Cloth they wore. Eventually, however, a new conflict arose over the Sacred Cloth. Seiya, a young boy who journeyed to Greece for training, acquired the Bronze Cloth - considered the lowest rank among the Saint's hierarchy. Each Saint had a tutelary god that represented their constellation, and Seiya's was Pegasus. The Galatic War was a gathering of Saints from around the world hoping to win the title of "ruler of the Saints" and the coveted Gold Cloth. During the Galatic War, Phoenix, known as the Black Saint, made an unexpected appearance and made off with the Gold Cloth in front of a packed audience, seeking worldwide dominance. Seiya and his fellow Bronze Cloth warriors joined forces to retrieve the lost Gold Cloth from Phoenix and his Shadow Army. Thus commenced a series of epic battles, pitting the strongest young men on earth, the Saints, against each other.