Darkness. Nothing else. No room, no wall, no furniture, or anything. Just complete and total darkness. I tried to smell, but nothing came. I listened for sound, but nothing came to my ears. Did I die? Almost as soon as that thought came to me, I could feel a hand press to my chest. Specifically there, as I didn't feel anything else elsewhere in my body. A few seconds later, I started feeling more in the rest of my body. Even my ears started hearing again.
"... ing to be all right?" I heard something that sounded like a squeaky voice.
"As all right as anyone can be in a mudman's house." another voice sounded. This voice, while also squeaky, sounded more serious.
"That's funny, coming from you." a heavier voice said.
What sort of world did I end up in this time, I wondered. Besides that, how did I end up in this one? Last thing I remembered, was that we entered a portal, which didn't look as solid as others. We went through it and... if I couldn't feel, see, hear or smell anything until these squeaky people did something, what did this mean for my friends? Were they still alive? Are they wounded in any way? I had to know for sure. I tried getting up and...

"...edding." I could only just hear someone say.
"Be that as it may, Butler." came the reply, from someone who sounded younger, "Our guests crashed onto my property. What kind of land-owner would I be if I ignored them?"
"Is that really the only reason why you're helping them?" the older voice asked, the voice that belonged to someone that was called Butler.
"You know me better than that." the younger one said, "I must admit they are intriguing."
"Because they fell from the sky?"
"More than that." he spoke with such a tone, he was beginning to scare me, "One of them is dressed in what resembles modern apparel, but its materials are typically medieval."
"Do you think he's a time-traveler?" Butler asked.
"I'm not ruling out the possibility." the younger one replied, "But he's the least of our worries."
"Why is that?"
"That young Asian woman." the younger voice said, "For reasons I cannot fathom, her cells seemed to be decaying much faster than they should. It's almost as though she had found a way to halt her own aging process, but whatever halted it is gone now."
I became more and more interested in what this younger man was saying. I found out a lot about my two companions. But as soon as I heard him say that one of my friends was getting older every second, I realized she was in trouble. With everything she had done for me and my other two friends, I couldn't just let her die like that. I had to do something. Though my body still wanted to sleep, I forced myself to get up. As I did, I heard heavy steps run toward me. Hands were placed on my shoulder and my arm.
"Take it easy." I recognized Butler's voice, "It takes a while before the body has fully recovered."
I could finally open my eyes. I looked at the man who was helping me. All I saw was a black tie, in front of a white shirt. I blinked a few times, then decided to look up. I couldn't be sure of what I was looking at, a man, or a tower. Either way, it took me a while before I could find his head.
"It never seizes to amaze me how people react at their first sight of you." that younger voice spoke again.
I turned my head into his direction. There was a boy, a little shorter than me, but dressed in a black suit, wearing dark glasses. Since he was had flowers sticking out of his jacket pocket, I guessed this was a wedding-suit. Was he getting married, or was he just the best man?
"Do not worry. He won't harm you." the younger man said, "Unless I tell him to."
Since he was helping me, I didn't think that was true. And even if it was, if he knew what I had seen before my arrival here, he would know he was hardly scary. Unless..."
"Now, would you be so kind to tell me who you are?" the young man asked.
I opened my mouth, but no sound would come out. I knew I had to somehow make sounds with my throat, but I couldn't.
"He fell from the sky. Do you think he would know our language?"
"He understood me very well when I was talking about his friends." the young man said, "I could see his reaction when I said his friend was dying."
This reminded me. I shifted my head from side to side, only to see that there was nobody else in the room. There were just me, Butler, this younger man, and one bed.
"Concerned for your friends?" he asked.
"He may be more cooperative if he got to see them, Master Fowl."
He, who seems to be called Fowl, thought about this: "You may be right. Escort him to see the others."
"Yes, Master Fowl." Butler replied.

Following his master's order, Butler escorted me out of the room. The hallway didn't look like that of any hospital I've ever seen. It didn't have the typical smell, or even that look. It looked more dusty, dark, and not at all well-looked after. It seemed like I was down somebody's basement instead of a hospital. In any case, Butler lead me into the next room. It looked the same as the one I was in. Dusty and dark, with only one bed. This is where I found one of friends, the young wizard named Merlin.
As soon as we entered, he got out of his bed: "You're alright!"
Butler jumped in front of me, trying to stop Merlin from running to me: "Don't get any ideas."
"Oh, there must be a misunderstanding." Merlin said. I could never understand how he could keep laughing all the time.
"My master doesn't want you to leave." Butler said, "At least, not until you've answered some questions for him."
"Is that all?" Merlin said, "I'd be happy to do so."
Butler didn't say anything. I couldn't take a look at his face, so I had no way of knowing what he might have thought.
"Something wrong?" Merlin asked.
"Do you have any idea of whose property you crashed into?"
"We never do." Merlin replied, "We just walk into a portal, and hope for the best."
"Portal?" Butler seemed to be out of the loop on this.
"Speaking of which, where are Saya and Murphy?" Merlin asked.
"Who?" Butler didn't know those names.
"The two others who were with us." Merlin answered, "One looks like a little girl with a sword. The other is more machine than man."
"I don't know about a machine-man." Butler answered, "Though most of the machinery we found on and near you are looked after by Foaly."
Most of the machinery? As soon as that question came to me, I searched my pockets.
"Does that include his portal-machine?" Merlin asked Butler.
There was a pause before Butler asked: "Do you people ever say anything sensible?"
"Well, if so, then you need not worry." Merlin spoke directly to me, "At least this time we know it's in good hands."
I looked at him, squinting my eyes.
"He may be a giant, but he seems harmless." Merlin replied, "So any friend of his, is a friend of ours."
"How naive." this was Fowl's voice.
I turned to look at the door, and there he stood. With that tone he used, I expected him to have his arms crossed, but instead they were hanging beside his body. It's like if he was angry or frustrated, he would die before showing it.
"Oh hello." Merlin said to him. He made to walk closer to him, but Butler stopped him.
"Are you this giant's master?" Merlin asked him.
Fowl raised an eyebrow: "Have you never heard of Artemis Fowl II?"
"No. Who is he?" Merlin replied.
As they went on, I realized they were just bantering, while Saya was still in trouble. I tried telling them, but the words just wouldn't come out. With no way of drawing their attention, I had to find myself a way to Saya. Since Fowl was talking to Merlin, and Butler was busy keeping Merlin at a distance, paying no attention to me, and the only one blocking the door is someone who was smaller than me, the solution looked obvious. I ran to the door. Fowl opened his mouth, but I pushed him out of my way before he could say anything. I heard Butler scream something after me, but I paid no attention.