The bed was more elaborate than anything he had ever seen and the craftsmanship of the multitude of towers surrounding him was dumbfounding.

Alexander looked at his clothes. He was still dressed in his battle attire. His sword was propped up against the bed. He picked it up and gently pricked his finger. It bled. He was still alive. But where was he and who had brought him here? The craftsmanship of everything around him seemed impossible.

Alexander walked toward the window and felt dizzy looking down at the city streets below. His mind could not comprehend what cars were and how they were propelled forward on the black rivers or earth below.

Looking around at his current accommodations was just as mystifying. The wooden floors were about the only thing that made sense. The floor to ceiling windows provided ample light for the space. The ceiling fan was off and Alexander couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if he pulled the two dangling chains. As it turned out nothing happened.

Why would the strange contraption hanging from the ceiling have chains to pull if they didn’t do anything. Looking around the bedroom he noticed three doors. One was closed and the others two were open. The two doors that were open led to dark rooms. Alexander looked around for a candle or lantern of some type but none were to be seen. During the light of day one could strain their eyes to see in these dark rooms but surely there must be a way to light these rooms at night. Such towers as this could not be built and then overlook a major detail such as a place for torches and candles.

Alexander walked towards the closest open door. The floor was made of the finest marble. But there was something else that almost immediately captivated his attention. A low dull light was glowing but it was not created by fire. The small circular sphere did not provide much light but through some sorcery it made light.

Alexander reached out his hand and touched the source of the light. It was warm but not hot. He noticed a small white base below the light. There was a small white square that stuck out from the white base. Alexander tried to push it and nothing happened. Then he tried to move it to the right and nothing happened. When he moved it to the left the light was extinguished.

This was unbelievable. With the slightest movement of his fingers Alexander could make the light disappear. Instinctively he toggled the switch back to the right and the light instantly reappeared. With such mastery of light marching at night could be accomplished with ease. His army could cover ground at unexpected speed. The possibilities were endless if he could harness this power.

Was it portable or was it affixed to the wall? Alexander gingerly pulled on the white base. It slid out of the wall with ease, but the light ceased to shine. He noticed two metal prongs protruding from the back of the white base. He walked out of the room holding the device in his hand and touched the prongs to the wall beside the bed. Nothing happened. He touched it against the window with the same result.

He walked back to where he had found the mysterious device and examined the wall. There were two spaces very close to each other that both contained two long slender holes. When he placed the prongs into the holes the light reappeared. He tried it in the upper and lower sockets and both times it produced light.

With this new found knowledge Alexander returned to the bedroom and searched the wall for more holes. He found a couple of locations. Each time he put the device in one of the holes the light reappeared.

Feeling slightly disappointed that the light device could only work when attached to the hole in the wall Alexander returned to the bathroom. He placed the device back into the wall and noticed a set of two larger switches next to the holes in the wall. Alexander flipped the first switch and a loud humming sound filled the room. Instinctively Alexander pushed the switch back down.

He stood staring at the switch trying to decide if he wanted to switch the same switch again or if he should flip the second switch up. He couldn’t see any value in the first switch so he decided to try the second switch.

The instant the switch went up light bombarded the room. Alexander quickly flipped the switch down and darkness instantly returned to the room. For nearly two minutes Alexander flipped the light switch on and off. The light of the sun had been harnessed and stored in odd shaped balls on the wall and hanging from the ceiling. Alexander finally looked at everything else around him. He was fascinated by the mirror. He had never seen such clarity in his reflection.

The bathroom sink garnered his attention next. Clearly it was a basin for holding water but it was empty. Alexander looked for a pitcher that would be poured into the basin but didn’t see one. The countertop was made from a finely cut piece of marble and it looked like the floor was as well.

Alexander pulled the lever and gasped when water started pouring out of the faucet. Such ingenuity had never been seen in all of his conquests. Wherever he was clearly possessed greater technology than he could have ever possibly imagined. Further amazement filled his mind when he discovered the water could be made hot or cold on demand.

Thinking about the technological advances that he had seen brought his mind back to his injury. It had just happened the wound should be fresh. Looking at his chest he could only see a strange bandage.

As mesmerizing as everything he had discovered was Alexander realized it was time to find out who had brought him here and why. If he wasn’t dead then he needed to know who had brought him to this palace of the gods. Once he knew that answer he would be able to spend more time marveling at the innovations that sprawled around him. The real question was whether he would strike first or pursue diplomacy.

The answer was simple. The diplomatic approach would be best since he had been bandaged and placed in his own private palace. He had received treatment befitting a king. As a result he would listen to why he had been brought here. That was assuming he could find anyone to talk to.

After exiting the bedroom Alexander continued to be amazed by the view from his tower in the sky. The next thing that caught his attention was the bookshelf. On prominent display were the Odyssey and Iliad by Homer. Alexander recognized that the books were not written in Attic or Koine Greek but some other language. Despite not knowing what language the books were written in Alexander realized he could understand every word.

The binding and parchment were unlike anything he had ever seen. Also the handwriting was not like anything he had ever seen before. Looking at the titles on the books he recognized only a few names. Plato, Aristotle, and Sophocles were familiar. John Locke, Edmund Burke, Friedrich Nietzsche, Mikhail Bakunin, and Peter Kropotkin were all names he had never heard of. These books could provide great information about what this society values.

Alexander was pulled from examining the titles of the books by a jingling noise coming from down the hallway.

Professor Adell placed the key in the lock and opened the door. He had been watching Alexander through cameras that had been located throughout the townhouse. Once Alexander reached the bookshelf Adell knew it was time for him to make his entrance.