You awaken, and find yourself surrounded by blackness, the feeling of coarse dirt weighing down all around you. Frantically, you begin clawing at your surroundings, desperately trying to dig your way up, as your body gradually gets stained by dark, fetid muck.

Just as you begin to lose hope, your eyes are graced by the glimpse of a cloudy gray sky. With one last burst of strength, you emerge from beneath the earth, finding yourself in a field of pitch-black dirt and rotten, dead plants.

In the middle of the field, there stands a giant, draconic being, with dark-gray scales and purple flames adorning kts back and limbs. It stands upright, in a bipedal stance, and slowly turns its gaze all around, before speaking in a calm, female voice.

Another region turned to rot, from whence new life sprouts forth... And so, Samsara's wheel spins anew.

The dragon's gaze then falls onto you.

And yet, a survivor... Or, no. I apologize. It would seem that you are one of those few fortunate ones that are immune to the corruption I bring forth.

Indeed, despite your messy appearance, your body seems to be as pristine as you remember it being. Meanwhile, the dragon sighs in what almost seems like... remorse?

You do not seem to be a native of this land, but I feel that I owe you an apology regardless. You weren't meant to be caught up in this. I may have a duty to uphold, as a force of nature... But I am happy to see that you are the one thing I can spare. Still, you look quite disheveled. Perhaps... you require some comforting?