The world swam into focus, a blurry haze of shapes and colors that refused to solidify. Abdullah's consciousness flickered like a candle in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment. His limbs tingled with an otherworldly sensation, and a throbbing headache pulsed behind his eyes, making even the simplest thought a Herculean task.

"We understand you, dear guest. Please speak your mind."

The voice echoed within the confines of his skull, bypassing his ears entirely. Abdullah tried to focus, to make sense of his surroundings, but his eyes refused to cooperate. The shapes before him, vaguely human in form, wavered and distorted. Some were short, others unnaturally tall, and did he see... multiple limbs? Horns? The mere attempt to discern details sent sharp pains lancing through his head.

As if sensing his distress, soothing melodies began to reverberate inside his mind, lulling him back into the comforting embrace of unconsciousness. As Abdullah drifted off, two indistinct figures stood beside his bed, diligently taking notes.

"Not ready yet," one murmured, its voice a blend of disappointment and concern.

"Unfortunate indeed," the other agreed, its tone equally somber.

"Should readjust. I'll forward to Council," the first figure decided, its form shimmering as it turned away.

Time lost all meaning for Abdullah as he floated in and out of consciousness. His dreams were a kaleidoscope of nightmares and fevered imaginings, each more vivid and terrifying than the last. In this forcefully induced sleep, he could neither fully wake nor find true rest. Even as the phantasms faded, the emotions they evoked lingered, haunting the edges of his mind.

After an indeterminable period, Abdullah's eyes finally opened, the spark of true consciousness glimmering within them. His gaze swept across the room, taking in every detail with the keen observation of a scholar.

He found himself in a bed crafted from wood, its surface marked with curious red lines and imperfections. A transparent, gossamer-light blanket covered his body. The left-most bedpost near his feet stood taller than the others, adorned with an ornate tassel that seemed to shimmer with an inner light.

But these details paled in comparison to the four figures that stood at each corner of his bed. Humanoid in shape and unnaturally tall, their faces remained frustratingly indistinct. Yet, to Abdullah's surprise, he felt no urge to cry out, nor did he experience the searing pain that had accompanied his earlier attempts to focus on them.

Once again, a voice resonated within his mind.

"We understand you, dear guest. Please speak your mind."

A maelstrom of thoughts and emotions surged through Abdullah. His pulse quickened as fear, excitement, and an instinctive sense of self-preservation battled for dominance. Yet, as he took stock of his situation – in a bed, clearly cared for, possibly even fed – the initial panic began to subside. These beings, whatever they were, did not seem to pose an immediate threat.

As Abdullah struggled to make sense of his fragmented memories, another voice spoke, its tone measured and calm.

"You had been unconscious. We found you. Taken care of you. But after you've healed from mental and physical maladies, you still weren't able to interact with us."

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"Who are you?" Abdullah managed to ask, his own voice sounding foreign to his ears.

"I am a medical ca— a physician. An expert who deals with illnesses of the body," one voice replied.

Another chimed in, "And I am a psychic, a mind-matter expert, specialist. I take mind and matter then operate, manipulate and—"

The voices continued, each describing their role in Abdullah's recovery. Yet, he found it impossible to determine which figure was speaking or how they could hear each other inside his mind. After about fifteen minutes, during which only a fraction was spent in verbal communication, the figures sensed Abdullah's growing agitation and fatigue.

As they prepared to leave, one of them cautioned,

"Do not play with the apparatus on your head for now. It is essential for your continued health. We will explain in detail later, after you've become more accustomed to us and this world."

With that cryptic warning, they left Abdullah alone with his thoughts and the mysterious device affixed to his head.

Over the next four months, Abdullah's recovery progressed steadily. The natives, as he came to think of them, continually refined and improved the apparatus, their dedication and ingenuity impressing the scholar in him. Despite his natural curiosity, Abdullah followed their instructions to the letter, both out of respect for their care and a growing suspicion about the true nature of these beings.

He spent most of his time in a specially designed hut, venturing out only for brief periods. Interactions with the natives, while fascinating, proved incredibly taxing. After about thirty minutes, Abdullah would begin to hallucinate, his mind struggling to process their unique form of communication and environment. The natives explained that their speech rarely relied on words alone, instead incorporating telepathic messages, psychic gestures, and other means beyond human capability. They assured him that, with time and practice, he would overcome these limitations.

Abdullah learned that these beings called themselves the Anthropos and lived according to something they termed the Tripartite Rule. As a devout Muslim, he attempted to share his own faith and beliefs, but the natives gently reminded him that such abstract concepts would have to wait until their means of communication improved.

To his surprise, one of the Anthropos asked to be called "Tim." When Abdullah questioned this oddly simple name, Tim merely smiled (or at least, Abdullah thought it was a smile) and said, "Soon, you will learn."

As the end of his fourth month approached, the Anthropos announced a celebration to be held in two months' time. They encouraged Abdullah to explore the village and participate in their lectures, emphasizing the importance of finding his place in their society. With a mixture of trepidation and excitement, Abdullah took his first steps into the wider world of the Anthropos.

Unbeknownst to Abdullah, Ed, Evelynn, and Erlik were undergoing similar experiences in their own village communities. Though their paths to integration and assimilation varied, they all shared the common thread of the mysterious apparatus that allowed them to interact with their new environment and the Anthropos themselves.

As Abdullah stood at the threshold of his hut, gazing out at the alien landscape that was to be his new home, he couldn't help but wonder what must have happened in the memories that eluded him still.

With a deep breath, Abdullah stepped out into the village, ready to embrace whatever mysteries and marvels awaited him. These were not the first steps he taken but they carried a triumphant manner now his goals were clearer. The apparatus hummed softly against his skin, a constant reminder of the bridge between his old life and the new one stretching out before him. Whatever the future held, he was determined to face it with the same curiosity and courage that had defined his life as a scholar.

As he walked, the world around him seemed to shimmer and pulse with an otherworldly energy. The Anthropos moved about their daily lives, their forms still difficult to fully comprehend, but no longer causing him pain to observe. Abdullah realized that he was taking the first steps on a journey that would challenge everything he thought he knew about reality and faith. His solitude in the hut give him lot's of hypothesis to check, and many more ideas to test.

The celebration loomed on the horizon, a milestone that promised answers but also hinted at even greater mysteries to come. Rush for the preparation of the celebration of course eluded him for he did not know how the village looked before. For now, Abdullah focused on the immediate task at hand: learning, adapting, and finding his place among the Anthropos. Little did he know that his path would soon converge with those of Ed, Evelynn, and Erlik, setting in motion events that would reshape not just their lives, but the very planet they were on.