Violent lightning tore through the sky, cracking with twisted streaks that crashed mercilessly into the dunes below, crystalizing the wet sand into brittle glass. Wind and rain plummeted down on the desert landscape, trashing the petrified trees that stood unbothered by the storm. Flood season had arrived.

Deep within the heart of the Ruined Floor, something stirred beneath the sand, causing it to roil and churn. Ancient petrified leaves quivered and fell, one by one, onto the ground. The many terrors that had assembled nearby, preparing for a feast they hadn't had in years, felt the shift beneath the sand. They scattered in a frenzied retreat, their warning cries rising loud above the thunderous storm.

Only a massive, serpent-like beast moved in the opposite direction. It had a large triangular head with a circular bone protuberance atop it, similar to a crown of jagged thorns. Its elongated body was covered in gray, stone-like scales that, despite broken and weathered, exuded an air of majesty and ancientness.

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Despite its size, the snake weaved between the trees, rocks, and dunes with extraordinary grace. Any creature unfortunate enough to brush against its endless body was turned to stone, cursed never again to draw a breath.

The serpent pursued the lurking abomination with relentless intent. Years had passed since it had dared to enter its territory, violating bounds it did not understand. Hidden beneath the sand, it had waited in silence, lying dormant, undetectable. Now that it stirred again, the serpent would make sure it was silenced forever.