Theo and Deborah walk home, discussing her dream-walking ability. The next day, Deborah visits the physician. He examines her and the babies, assuring her that everything is perfectly fine. Later, Deborah begins tracking the days she dream-walks and discovers a pattern—she only dream-walks on the night of every full moon.
After stepping out of the room, and in Theo's absence, she picks up her sword and starts practicing. She swings it, sending slashes through the air with increasing intensity. Eventually, exhaustion sets in. Dizzy and frustrated, she throws herself to the ground before retreating to her room to sleep.
Meanwhile, Auren and Traven are sparring during their training session. Auren uses his earth manipulation to trap Traven in a cage of stone, but Traven counters by bursting out with a powerful surge of wind. Their session is interrupted by Lord Daven—Auren's master and one of the ten Divine Lords of Eldoria.
"Auren, follow me," Lord Daven commands.
Auren obeys, following him back to his residence. Lord Daven stops, his back still turned to Auren.
"It's time you knew," he says.
"Knew what?" Auren asks, puzzled.
Lord Daven casts a teleportation spell, and they are transported to a cliff hidden deep within the jagged ridges of the Ebonange Mountains. The cave entrance is narrow, veiled by a waterfall that flows over black granite. Only during a lunar eclipse do the walls within the cave pulse with primordial runes, glowing faintly—reactive only to earthbenders. These ancient carvings emit paranormal, post-mortem visions depicting the rise of the Divine Leaf, the forging of the Sword of Vast, and the fall of the first soul-bound earthbender, whose name was struck from history.
They walk further into the cave and reach its heart, where a wide, circular platform of polished stone lies. In its center, atop a pedestal of petrified roots and crystals, rests a lone book—untouched by time.
The air is eerily still. No wind. No animals. Only the faint echo of their breath and the occasional deep rumble, as if the cave itself remembers.
Lord Daven says, "This book is called The Testament of Stone, or The Soul Requiem. It is bound in cracked obsidian and sealed with a rune lock that can only be opened by the touch of a true earthbender—one whose soul is aligned with both the tone and spirit of Eldoria. Its pages are compressed slate, etched with molten silver that shimmers as the reader's connection deepens."
Auren touches the book. It begins to float, emitting a blue light. The lock loosens as it comes to rest in Auren's open palms. Instantly, the carvings on the cave walls come to life, twisting and moving as though carved memories are being replayed.
The writings in the book remain invisible to Lord Daven; only Auren can see them.
Auren learns the true name of the fallen earthbender—Mael'dur the Bound—once the guardian of Eldoria's Heart. As Auren flips to the next page, he uncovers a hidden section: Stone Requiem—a power that allows the land itself to rise and fight through its wielder, but only at the cost of a part of the user's soul.
However, the book warns: "He who commands the grave of the earth may awaken its hunger."
Soon, Auren's eyes opened as a vision whispered to him. His gaze turned blue, glowing with ethereal light. In the vision, he saw the ancient carving of a man cloaked in runes, his hands shaping mountains. The figure—Mael'dur—was the first to speak with the Divine Lords of Earth and Flame. Together, they forged a gem unlike any other—a jewel that bound soul and land as one.
But Mael'dur grew proud. He believed the Divine Lords should not wield such power, and he turned against them. In response, they punished him: he was bound to the very stone he had helped create. His name was erased from history, and his legacy buried with him.
The vision faded. A voice echoed in Auren's mind: "To the one who bears the pulse of the deep: you are not the first, and you will not be the last. But you may yet be the one to choose. Stones can preserve—or destroy. What you bind today echoes forever."
Auren snapped back to himself as a page emerged from the book, etched in blood-colored iron. "This is the gift and the curse of the Stoneborn Reclaimer. Learn the requirements—if you dare."
Auren stepped back, heart pounding. The book snapped shut as his fingers burned with its imprint—a small glyph now etched into his palm, glowing faintly. Behind him, the cave trembled. Auren knew—and so did the cave.
He grabbed the book and escaped alongside Lord Daven, just moments before the cavern collapsed. They teleported back to the palace, but Auren, now called the Voice of Stone, was afraid to open the book again.
The next day, drawn by a lingering call, Auren secretly ventured back into the forest toward the ruined cave. Something still called to him from beneath the stone. But on the path, he encountered an army of evil souls.
He couldn't call for help—the others were still in Eldoria, and he was far from its borders. Alone, he fought with skill and resolve, displaying excellence and deadly precision. Every move spoke of a deeper connection to the land beneath his feet.
Auren gives numerous slashes and uses his earthbending ability to crush the evil souls, but it seems not enough, as the evil souls overwhelm him. They toss him around like a stone. A bloody Auren is then levitated—his soul about to be absorbed by the evil spirits.
Meanwhile, Theo, Klaus, and Traven are searching for Auren. They enter his room and find the Book of Soul Requiem floating in the air.
With his soul on the verge of being consumed, Auren hears whispers in his ears:
"Say my name... Call my name..."
With no other choice, Auren utters the word of Soul Requiem. The book vanishes from his room, leaving Theo, Traven, and Klaus stunned. Then, the book materializes before Auren, and another whisper follows:
"Do you agree to bear my power? Do you agree to become my vengeance?"
Auren agrees.
The book transforms into a grimoire, and a surge of power bursts forth, sending the evil souls flying. A great earthquake erupts, shaking not just the forest, but all of Eldoria.
Auren regains his footing as the grimoire opens before him. The page reads:
"Fossil Awakening — The ability to animate or reawaken ancient creatures preserved as stone or fossilized remains."
Auren rises into the air and slams his sword into the ground. Sand blasts upward, forming a colossal dragon that materializes and ascends into the sky.
Theo sees the dragon from Eldoria. Klaus, far away, experiences a sudden vision of Auren.
Auren commands the dragon to breathe fire, incinerating and vanquishing the evil souls. After the epic battle, the dragon turns back to stone and sinks into the earth once more.