326 BC

Alexander surveyed the scene. In order to achieve victory his men needed a spark. As the greatest warrior since Achilles and as the greatest king in the world it was his job to inspire and will his men to victory. The gods had promised victory and now he needed to grasp it.

The conquest of the Indus Valley would secure his empire. One tribe was being difficult. The Malli tribe would pay a price for this.

Alexander had marched his men over 40 miles through the desert to set up his ambush. It had worked. The Mallians were caught off guard and abandoned their capital city. Unfortunately they retreated into a fortified citadel.

Alexander laid siege to the stronghold and envisioned a swift victory. The Mallians were fighting valiantly. Without a spark the fighting would drag on and the defenders would gain more courage and confidence. Alexander could already tell that the vigor of his men had started to wane. It was time for the warrior king to show why he was the greatest hero since Achilles.

“To victory.” Alexander shouted as he grabbed the nearest ladder.

Holding the ladder in one hand and positioning his shield to cover his head from the spears and arrows that were sure to impede his movement Alexander set off at a run for the nearest wall.

“Follow the king!” Peucestas shouted as he fell in step behind Alexander.

Leonnatus and the nearest corporal followed as well. Alexander scaled the wall with incredible speed. Peucestas followed closely behind but he did not have the speed of Alexander. As Alexander dismounted the ladder and engaged the enemy in battle the other three men were climbing the ladder as more men rushed forward to follow their king.

Alexander stood on the wall with spears and arrows raining down all around him. To remain there was certain death. In a split second he decided to jump. Not into the safety of his men, but into the enemy stronghold. It would be one man against an entire army. But Alexander knew he was no ordinary man. He had been blessed by the gods. It was his foreordained destiny to conquer this tribe. His actions would inspire his men and secure this victory.

Peucestas reached the top of the wall as Alexander jumped down into the hostile crowd. Peucestas knew that if Alexander didn’t land on his feet he was as good as dead. Leonnatus was reaching for the top of the wall when he felt the ladder buckling. He jumped and grasped the wall as the ladder crumbled to the ground. The corporal went crumbling to the ground. He would quickly retrieve another ladder and begin the climb again.

Alexander landed on his feet with his sword in hand. Two Mallians were ready for him with their swords drawn. Behind them were several more Mallians. In a show of sublime swordsmanship Alexander dispatched both of them with ease. This caused the Mallians to fall back. Alexander noticed an old tree and he advanced to it. Leonnatus and Peucestas jumped down to protect their king who was surrounded and being peppered by spears and arrows. The tree provided enough cover that probably kept Alexander alive.

Still, standing alone inside an enemy’s fortress was a daunting challenge. The tree and his trusty shield were keeping Alexander alive as the number of spears and arrows started pooling around him. Just as his two companions came to join him an arrow penetrated his defenses. It ripped through his breastplate and lodged into his upper chest.

“Peucestas cover him with your shield. Alexander must not perish.”

Both men took up defensive positions and used their shields as protection.

“Are the men coming?” Alexander asked through gritted teeth.

“Yes, sire. Your actions have inspired them.”

“Then we fight our way to them.”

“Sire your injury?”

“Will be addressed after our decisive victory.”

Leonnatus could already see that Alexander was having trouble breathing. If they were not able to get him to safety soon his troubles would only get worse. Of course if the Macedonian army didn’t come crashing through the walls soon none of it would matter. Three soldiers protected by a tree could not long hold out against an army.

“Peucestas guard the king. I will stave off any attack.” Leonnatus said stoically.

The three shields and the tree were providing a high level of protection against the spears and arrows that were still assaulting them at a high rate of frequency. Peucestas ushered Alexander to the ground to preserve his energy.

“I will not sit here any longer.” Alexander said moments later. “If the gods have fated us to die, then I will die on my feet sword in hand.”

“The gods are smiling upon you. The sounds of war grow louder. The walls have been breached. Your actions have won you another victory.”

“Yes, you can rest now. Victory is assured.”

The Macedonian army attacked with vicious savagery. Anything that moved was slaughtered. Soldier and non combatant alike fell to the enraged army trying to save their leader.

Alexander was ushered to the camp hospital. The adrenaline from the battle had worn off and the pain and shock were starting to set in. The first order of business was to remove the arrow. The task fell to one of his most trusted generals, Perdiccas. The only way to safely remove the arrow would be to enlarge the wound first.

With steady hands Perdiccas used his knife to slowly cut around the wound. Alexander grit his teeth and tried to endure the pain but some things are too powerful even for a king. Alexander felt the knife enlarging the wound and then he felt nothing. He had passed out from the pain.

March 21, 2025

Professor Kyren Adell stood in front of his Freshman class at Columbia University and smiled.

“The semester is almost done and you have applied yourselves pretty well so we are going to do something a little bit different today.”

The class of 60 students waited in silence not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Relax, this isn’t going to be some pop quiz or anything. In fact I am going to go a little old school here. It took me a while to find one of these but I did. Carson if you could roll the chalkboard out here.”

The students started to chatter in small groups as the roughly five foot tall seven foot long chalk board was rolled out into the center of the room.

“Ok now everyone put your laptops away and if your ADHD riddled brains can allow it turn your cell phones off. I know, I know your what’s app and Reddit feeds are going to be lighting up for the next hour but let’s see if you can manage it. And for the rest of you tinder can wait for another hour as well. I kid, I kid. If your tinder game is strong have at it. But as a little sweetener if I don’t see one phone for the remainder of the class I will give you all the answer to the first two questions on the final exam.”

As soon as the cheers died down and before professor Adell could say another word a Taylor Swift song based ringtone echoed through the lecture hall.

“Seriously guys? Not even 15 seconds. I might just add 20 questions to the final exam.”

Adell smiled as the predictable groans from the class ensued.

“Ok, Ok that was our mulligan. Starting now no phones. And Miss Trout if my ears were not deceived I believe that was your phone ringing.

“Yes, sir.”

“That means I will call on you first.”

“For what?”

“To answer this question. Would the kings of ancient history trade their fame and glory for an opportunity to live today? Or conversely would you trade your place here as a freshman at Columbia University for becoming a king or queen at least 1000 years ago? Miss Trout what do you think?”

“Not. A. Chance.” Miss Trout answered emphatically by stressing each word.

“Not a chance of what? Miss Trout.”

“That I would go back in time to become a ruler.”

“Why not?”

“I couldn’t live in a racist, misogynistic, backward time period. I have no interest in living in a time of slavery where women would be raped every night. Not. A. Chance.”

“But you would be the ruler, you could bring your 21st century enlightenment into your kingdom.”

“Not even as the greatest Roman Emperor or the greatest Pharaoh would I even consider it.”

“Surely with such power you would be able to remake the world into a more equitable place.”

“No, I would either be poisoned in my sleep or poisoned in my thinking.”

“Elaborate.”

“The world I would be entering would be hostile to a strong independent woman as a leader. Immediately I would be a target for attack. If I wasn’t killed outright my advisors would be undercutting my every move. Let’s say that wasn’t the case. Eventually I would succumb to their primitive way of thinking. Instead of raising them I would be pulled down just by the sheer inertia of numbers and we haven’t even started to talk about all the things I would have to give up. No cell phone, no Netflix, no running water or electricity. I would never go back.”

“Ok, so you are a hard pass on becoming ancient royalty, but would they willingly give up everything just to lead a normal life here?”

“Of course they would.”

“You sound so confident. Why?” Professor Adell asked.

Miss Trout smiled and said “because the technological advances would be too great to resist. They could never return to candlelight after experiencing a digital world like ours.”

“Wouldn’t they miss the power and status of their previous lives?”

“No, they would quickly realize they were primitive beings and would adjust to our time.”

“I think you discount the allure of power.”

“They would find other avenues for their lusts.”

“Meaning?”

“They can conquer the world on Call of Duty or any other app or game out there. As for their more carnal desires they can turn to prostitution or only fans. There is nothing that would bind them to their lives in the old world.”

“Miss Trout has laid out the case for why everyone would choose today but do we have any opposing views in the classroom.”

Logan Johnson immediately rose his hand.

“Mr. Johnson, you have a differing view?”

“Not about going back in time. I don’t think any of us would do that.”

“Let me stop you right there and find out if that is true. Ok class would any of you choose to live as a king or queen thousands of years ago over the life you now live.”

Jack McDaniels rose his hand. He sheepishly looked around and saw he was the only one.

“Mr. Johnson we will return to you in a minute but first let’s find out why Mr. McDaniels is the only soul here who wants to be a king.”

“Dude, our world sucks man.”

“Thank you for your eloquence Mr. McDaniels. But perhaps you could practice using words more becoming of a student at Columbia.”

“Whatever man, I mean look you got people so addicted to these little devices,” McDaniels said as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, “that they don’t even know what is going on. They are so worried about followers and status updates that we can’t even talk to each other. We get together in a room and instead of talking to each other we text.” McDaniels started texting something on his phone.

Adell scanned the room to see who would glance down at their phone as McDaniels started to talk again.

“Oh sorry guys, I guess I just cost you the answer to the first two exam questions.”

“You did.” Adell confirmed.

“That doesn’t matter though our professor would have adjusted the exam so the easiest two questions would have been the first two, so nothing has really been lost. Isn’t that right professor?”

“You will just have to wonder about that.”

“I will take that as confirmation that I am correct. But now back to the issue at question. The world we live in isn’t that great. Sure we have everything at the touch of our fingers but yet we have nothing. There are no tight knit communities. Everything is shallow. There is no privacy. And we are always 30 seconds away from the end of the world. Moscow or Washington D. C. Could end life on our planet with the touch of a button. No thank you. I will take a kingdom 2,000 years ago where I can shape a little world to my liking. Sleeping under the stars riding out to fight the battles I choose. Real connections with a handful of people. The beautiful simplicity is something we have lost.”

“Ok, has Mr. McDaniels convinced anyone else to go back in time and start their own personal fiefdom?”

No one rose their hand.

“It looks like you are on your own Mr. McDaniels. But since he is the only one willing to take the risk Collin’s give him a $25 Starbucks gift card. Now Mr Johnson back to you. Why would the kings of the past remain in the past rather than choosing to stay here?”

“The allure of power is too great. You can’t go from being worshipped as a god to normal Joe no matter how great the amenities might be.” When you control the power of life in your hands you can’t walk away from that. That is an addiction that can’t be replaced by only fans or call of duty.”

“Is he right class? How many think the kings would remain in their time?”

Adell was surprised that only 4 hands went up.

“Ok, rather than discussing in the abstract let’s pick an ancient leader to bring to our time. Any suggestions?”

Nolan Newman shouted out “Julius Caesar.”

“A strong Candidate.” Adell said as he wrote the name on the chalkboard.

“Hannibal.”

“Another strong candidate Miss Kochanowicz.

“Alexander the Great”

“Confucius”

Adell was surprised by this and said “Mr. Soriano can you further explain that choice?”

“Sure. He is known for his wisdom and for like ummm putting ummm the things of the world low on his radar or something, so I just don’t think he could do that today, so he would ahhh ummm just be like a normal person here now and he would just like love to be here instead of all that.”

“Thank you Mr. Soriano.”

“Genghis Khan”

“Attila the Hun”

“Clearly there are no shortage of candidates. But since our time is short, let’s put these names to a vote. Who would we bring to the future if given the opportunity?”

In a close vote and after some stump speeches for each candidate Alexander the Great edged out Hannibal and Julius Caesar.

April 4, 2025

Alexander started to regain his consciousness and felt something was off. The last thing he remembered was Perdiccas trying to remove the arrow from his chest. It was just seconds ago. But there were no sounds of camp around. He could not feel the breeze or the humidity. He was inside of some structure that completely blocked out the outside world. It was too quiet. As he opened his eyes everything was blurry. His eyes still lagged behind his other senses. He sat up and tried to shake off the cobwebs. Nothing could prepare him for what he saw when he saw fully alert. He was in a tower in the sky. There was an expansive garden directly in front of him.

Anger welled up inside of him. He must have died in battle. He must have ascended into some realm of the afterlife. Alexander didn’t want to be dead. There was still too much to do.