A hot sun beats down on Alkademah. In the dusty plains to the east, people scratch in the dirt for food. And they wait. This is a world that waits for prophecies to be fulfilled. They wait for one who will answer their needs. They have already waited a long time. Their hope is almost exhausted. In our world, Marcus Beltram is pursued for a gambling debt he cannot pay. With only hours until his debt is due, all he wants is to enjoy the time he has left. For payment, will he lose a limb, his freedom, his life? He doesn't know. All he knows is that the regrets are mounting. When the debt collectors catch up with him and the beating begins, these two worlds collide, and Marcus is set on a path he cannot avoid. His survival will depend on people desperate for his help, a mysterious crystal key and answers that died with his father, answers that lead Marcus to understand his family’s connection with this strange world. Marcus wants to get home, but in a world without cars, buses, trains or planes, his only hope of escape will rest on the Gateways of Alkademah.