Each time you enter a new area, the game adds files to the save game folder to keep track of this. A new game should have 22 files, after going to either Verdistis or the Dark Forest it should have 27, after going to both it should have 32, after getting to the wastelands it should have 37, and after getting to the Black Ring dungeon it should have 42.
.0 / .x0 = Aleroth, Ars Magicana, etc
.1 / .x1 = Verdistis, Council Hall
.2 / .x2 = Dark Forest
.3 / .x3 = Black Ring dungeons
.4 / .x4 = Wastelands
In Amibatmanyes' case, the game for some reason added the 5 .x/.x4 files before getting to the wastelands, which cause the problem of ending up dead on arrival. Apparently when the game tried to add/update files it could not handle the unexpected presence of these extra files, so the cut scene never continued to the resurrection and bird flying by.
Deleting these files allows the saved game to load and function properly.