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Nobody expected the sudden shift in power. Then again, nobody expected Philip II to be assassinated by a bodyguard he had known for years.
"Alexander, are you alright?"
Alexander is standing there, lost. Not only is his father dead, but he is now the King of Macedonia. He looks around, sighs, and says, "I'm fine. It's a lot to take in right now." The anguish on his face tells the entire story; he's just become the king in a whirlwind of events. Weddings should end in happiness, not sadness.
"Take some time to relax and get your footing. We need our king in the right frame of mind, not dazed." Heeding these words, Alexander escapes to his home, secluding himself from everyone else. He sits down and begins trying to grasp what exactly happened, as well as his next step.
"Alexander!" The booming voice startles the new king, causing him to jump. He looks around, trying to discover the source of the sudden noise. When he's unable to, he sits back down, believing he imagined it.
"Alexander!" This time, it's undeniable; he didn't imagine the voice. Unable to determine where the voice originated, Alexander begins to wonder where exactly it could be coming from. It wasn't a voice he had ever heard before.
"Show yourself!" At these words, Zeus appears in front of him. Alexander is amazed that such a powerful god would appear in front of him. After a short silence, when he regains his composure, he asks, "Why have you come here, Zeus?"
"I heard of your struggle, and came to help. I see a lot of potential inside of you, that you have what it takes to be a great leader."
"But I'm unsure of what the next step is. I've just been thrust into this position unexpectedly. How do I manage effectively right now?"
"There is a man in Egypt who can help you by the name of Ammon. In fact, he's the reason for my success today. Go to the Oracle of Ammon. It's located in Sekht-am. Go find him, and he will be able to help."
Over the next few days, Alexander begins preparing for his journey, carefully planning every detail. After he finishes his preparations, he asks Zeus, "How will I know when I have reached the correct place?"
Zeus appears in front of him once more, surprised that he was summoned again so soon. After his initial confusion, Zeus summons the phoenix, stunning Alexander with its beauty. "I will make sure that you make it safely. I will tell Ammon of your journey, and ensure that you are welcomed."
With this promise, Alexander begins the journey towards the oracle. While on the way, he receives good fortune from Zeus, as he ensures that it rains when he travels through the desert so that he does not die of dehydration. When the road becomes impossible to make out, he notices a shimmering light in the sky, which he follows until the road is found once again. Alexander knows these must be divine signs sent from the gods.
When he reaches the oracle, Alexander stands in front of the oracle, awestruck. The beauty is indescribable, causing him to stand amazed at what he's seeing. After a few moments, he feels a hand rest on his shoulder. When he turns around, he's standing face-to-face with Ammon. He immediately falls to one knee in the presence of such a powerful figure.
"Zeus told me you were coming. What is it that you seek?"
"I seek knowledge on becoming a leader. I was just thrust into the role of King of Macedonia, and am unsure where to go from here. How can I effectively lead my people on such short notice?"
"Come with me." Ammon takes Alexander, still in awe at the events of the past weeks, and begins to teach him, much like he taught Zeus. "I see many of the same qualities in you that I saw in Zeus. I believe that with a little extra help, you can be just as great of a leader as he was." They return to the oracle, and standing in the middle is what looks to be a phoenix. After a moment, Alexander realizes that it must be a bennu. He is amazed by the beauty of the bird, having only heard of it.
"I didn't think this bird was real..."
"It's very much real. Zeus took it with him to Greece when he left Egypt. It's changed a little bit in its time away from here, but the phoenix descended from the bennu." Ammon chuckles at the look on Alexander's face. "You didn't expect this, did you? This bird is what guided you when the road was gone." Alexander shakes his head in disbelief at what he's seeing. He didn't expect to learn quite this much.
"What does this bird mean? I know the stories, but what can I learn from it?"
"It means never losing sight of what's important. It means being able to change and adapt if things don't go your way. These things will lead you to success as the leader of Macedonia. Now go, my son. Lead your people like I can."
Satisfied that his journey was complete, he leaves for his kingdom, having transformed himself in the aura of Ammon. Having been transformed, Alexander has also convinced himself that Philip II is not his father, rather, Ammon is. When he tells this story to his people, they are all amazed that he completed such a journey, along with his origin story. He has now become the leader that everyone wanted, as well as needed, him to be.
Author's Note: In 336 BC, Alexander III of Macedonia, more commonly known as Alexander the Great, became the King of Macedonia following his father's assassination by Pausanias, the head of his bodyguards. After becoming king, Alexander managed to create one of the largest and most powerful empires in the ancient world, managing to conquer land spanning from Greece to India. This included defeating the First Persian Empire, ending their reign. Following his death, the kingdom of Macedonia fell into a rapid decline, as he did not have an heir apparent, causing infighting among his generals and inner circle.
While Alexander did end up making the journey to the Oracle of Ammon a few years after ascending to the throne, I felt the idea of him going immediately after gaining power made for a much more compelling story. As he believed that Zeus-Ammon was his father, the journey was very important to include, as it had a large influence on how he thought of himself and how he led his kingdom. There are many questions surrounding his journey to the Oracle, as it is unknown what exactly took place when Alexander spoke to Zeus-Ammon privately, or what was said. Regardless, what is known is that Alexander left Siwah, the area the Oracle is located within, believing Zeus-Ammon was his father. I also wanted a way to tie in my introduction, where Zeus traveled to Egypt in search of knowledge, and this allowed him an opportunity to help Alexander. It also allowed us to see how the gods were able to become so influential in our leaders' lives.
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