 The story is set after Kratos ' defeat of the former God of War , Ares . Now the new God of War , Kratos is on a quest to destroy the legendary Ambrosia of Asclepius , an elixir with magical healing properties that he once found when he was a soldier in Sparta . During his quest , Kratos has flashbacks to this period , as he searches for the Ambrosia to save his newly @-@ born daughter , Calliope , who is suffering from the plague . Given until the next full moon , General Kratos travels with a host of Spartans to find the Ambrosia . During this period , he takes counsel from Captain Nikos , his superior in the Spartan army who instructs him about the Spartan code of honor . 
