Instinctively Alexander gripped his sword as he put the copy of the Iliad down. He looked toward the hallway and awaited his guest.

As soon as Adell saw Alexander he began to speak. “Alexander, King of the Macedonians, conqueror of the world I welcome you to this palace.”

Alexander looked at this man with a curious disdain. He clearly was no warrior. He looked like he had never wielded a sword before. His three piece suit was a magnificent exhibit of tailoring that no one in Alexander’s kingdom could match, but otherwise his first impression was entirely negative.

“Who are you and what is your title?” Alexander asked in a commanding voice.

“I am Dr. Kyren Adell….”

Alexander saw the man was going to continue talking and abruptly cut him off.

“Are you the man who bandaged my wounds?”

“No, I don’t practice medicine.”

“Then how do you claim to be a doctor?” Alexander asked genuinely confused.

“I got my doctorate degree in history from a world renowned university.” Adell said realizing that Alexander would not know what or where Oxford University was.

“There is no way to be a doctor of history. You cannot heal history. You cannot bandage history. You cannot treat history. You are no doctor.”

“Things are different here.”

“You tutor pupils about things that happened in the past.” Alexander said contemptuously.

“I teach at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. I don’t tutor students.” Adell shot back.

“You are too important to tutor others?”

“My expertise is better applied to a wider audience than one or two students.”

“Your worldview is incorrect.”

Adell was not about to be lectured by a man who had only just seen indoor plumbing for the first time twenty minutes before. “My worldview has produced this.” Adell said as he waved his hand across the skyline of New York City.”

“You personally could create none of this.” Alexander said matter of factly.

“I know my skills.” Adell replied confidently.

“Have you heard of a man by the name of Aristotle?”

Not wanting to give too much away Adell simply replied. “I am familiar with his work.”

Sensing that Adell was trying to downplay his knowledge about Aristotle Alexander asked “how is he viewed by the citizens in your kingdom?”

“Most people on the streets down there won’t be able to tell you one thing about him.”

“And what about other history doctors? In what regard would they hold him?”

“They would be aware of him. But really his actions would fall under the philosophy department.”

“And what would their opinion be?”

“That he would be one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived.”

“So one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived valued the role of tutoring one individual for years and you find that concept beneath you.”

“It is a different time.”

“Is your work more valuable than his?”

“That will depend on what happens to you.”

“I would kill you before you could ever touch me.”

“Oh no don’t take that as a threat. Your actions over the course of the next couple of hours could dramatically change history. I would simply be the person who facilitates it.”

“You are not worth my time. I have an army to lead and a battlefield to return to. Now if you will please escort me to the exit and return me to the frontlines we can leave without any lasting hostility.”

“The battle against the Malli tribe occurred 2,351 years ago. You can spare a few more hours.”

“Such things are not possible.”

“The book you set down when I walked in. Open it and flip two pages.”

Alexander did so.

“You see the top of the page it says publishing history. If I remember correctly it will say that it was first written in the 7th century BC. If you glance further you will notice that the edition you are holding was published in January 2025.”

“This means nothing to me your kingdom has a different way of calculating days than mine. I am the king and you are a charlatan. Now return me to my men before I return you to dust.”

“I have brought you to a whole new world. Are you not curious to see what it contains?”

“There are plans to be made, sieges to be conducted and campaigns to be completed. This is not a time for curiosity.”

“If you wish to be returned to your time, I assure you that it will be at the exact same instant that you left. If you spend another 20 minutes or 20 days here, you will not miss one second of your life in antiquity.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“When you visited the oracle at Siwah you asked if you were meant to be master of the world.”

Alexander remembered the trip through the Egyptian desert well. For 11 days he had traveled with a small group of his soldiers to reach the temple of Jupiter Ammon. There in a desert oasis he sought out priestly advice. Three questions had been asked.

First, Alexander had asked if all those who were responsible for the murder of his father, Philip, had faced justice. Second, he asked if Philip really was his father or if his father was someone more Devine. Third, he had wanted to know if his conquest of the Persians had the blessing of the gods.

The priest had confirmed that all those responsible for plotting the death of Phillip had been executed. Next the priest had announced that Alexander was the son of Zeus. Third, the priest had gone even farther than predicting victory over the Persians. The priest had announced that Alexander would conquer the world.

As a ruler who had a Devine mandate to conquer the world spending time inside with Adell grated on him. Conquering his enemies was a task that he needed to return to with haste.

“What is your point?”

“Let me show you the wonders of this world and then I will present you with an offer you will never receive again.”

“What does this have to do with becoming a master of the world?”

“To rule the world you must know the world.”

“Your civilization may appear advanced but you bore me.”

“And you disappoint me.”

“I am a son of Zeus and you dare insult me.”

“Zeus died a long time ago. All that remains are cute stories told to young children, who mock them and then quickly forget who Zeus was.”

“You will die for your blasphemy.” Alexander said as he rose and picked up his sword.

“If so, you will be trapped here forever. Your men will assume you died in battle and your dreams of global hegemony will cease.”

“If you brought me here then I can find my way back.”

“You would fail.”

“I am incapable of failure.”

“In this instance you would be.”

“You will still be just as dead.” Alexander took his first step toward Adell who instinctively took a step back as well.

“You cannot mock the gods and escape punishment.” Alexander continued.

“We have harnessed the power of the gods. In my hand I control the power of Zeus’s lightning bolt.”

“For a weak man you speak boldly. Strike me down with your lightning bolt or I shall introduce your heart to my sword.”

“I brought you here for a purpose so I will merely jolt your body.”

Alexander sprung with cat like reflexes. Adell was grateful there had been 15 feet of distance between them. In a speed that would make the best sprinters proud Alexander broke into his attack. Adell backpedaled as he shot the taser at Alexander.

The jolt of electricity sent Alexander sprawling to the ground. Adell sidestepped the sword as it slid past him.