The five Archmages stood around the fragments of the Sky Anchor while the completed formula floated above the chamber like a luminous constellation of runes and interconnected Magical pathways.

Ancient energy pulsed through the room in steady waves, causing the air to vibrate faintly.

The fragments responded to the formula’s presence. Streams of pale light flowed across their surfaces and illuminated countless dormant symbols that had remained inactive for ages in those fragments.

Velrion studied the floating framework one final time before turning toward the others.

"The first stage is straightforward," he said. "We combine the five minor fragments into a single core. Only after that can we establish a stable connection to the remaining three major fragments."

Morvain nodded immediately. "The larger fragments contain far more of the Creation’s foundation. Trying to summon them first would destabilize everything."

Lisara adjusted several floating symbols around her crystalline apparatus and agreed. "The core must exist before the greater pieces can recognize the call."

"And once the larger fragments arrive," Kelor added, "the real rewriting can begin."

Selena glanced toward the five fragments positioned throughout the chamber. "Okay. Then let’s begin this."

The others nodded.

Without another word, all five Archmages raised their hands.

Magic surged throughout the room. The completed formula activated instantly.

Thousands of runes ignited simultaneously across the chamber walls. Brilliant streams of energy erupted from the devices brought by the kingdoms and connected themselves to the Sky Anchor fragments. The air grew heavy as unimaginable quantities of Magic energy flooded into the ritual.

The process did not resist them violently and wasn’t so hard, but the burden was immediately apparent.

Each fragment contained power connected directly to the Creation herself. Guiding even a portion of that energy required absolute concentration.

Sweat gradually formed on several foreheads. Morvain gritted his teeth. Lisara’s fingers trembled slightly. Even Velrion’s expression hardened as he maintained control over the central framework.

Slowly, the five fragments began moving.

Those ancient, crystal-like objects of powers floated up from different parts of the chamber. Pale streams of light connected them together while the formula continuously corrected their alignment.

Minute after minute passed. Then finally the fragments touched.

Light exploded throughout the room.

The separate pieces fused together.

When the brilliance faded, a single enormous crystal hovered above the floor. Transparent and beautiful beyond description, it radiated ancient power in every direction.

Yet everyone immediately saw that only half of it existed. The remaining portions were still missing.

Velrion exhaled slowly. "Now it was time for the major fragments."

The others understood immediately.

Without resting, they shifted the formula toward the second phase.

The newly formed crystal released a powerful pulse and the summoning began.

Unlike the first stage the resistance appeared almost immediately.

The distant fragments were scattered across the world so pulling them toward Leonora required vastly more power than combining the smaller pieces.

The chamber shook. Magic arrays blazed with overwhelming intensity. The giant crystal released wave after wave of energy into the void beyond reality.

Minutes passed, then space distorted.

A massive tear opened above the chamber. One big crystal fragment emerged first. A second crystal followed shortly afterward. Then finally the third crystal appeared.

The entire underground facility trembled beneath their arrival.

At last, the three major fragments floated above the chamber alongside the newly completed core.

The summoning had succeeded.

For several seconds nobody spoke.

Then Velrion lowered his hand and said, "We stop here for now."

The others looked toward him but quickly understood.

Their breathing had become heavier. The burden of the summoning had drained far more energy than anticipated.

Morvain laughed weakly and said, "I agree. I’d rather not collapse before we reach the most important part."

The other Archmages chuckled in agreement.

The first stages had succeeded perfectly.

Now all eight fragments were finally gathered in one place.

The true rewriting process would begin soon.

But first, the five Archmages allowed themselves a brief period of rest before attempting the most important ritual in the history of their civilization.

—

Far away from Leonora Kingdom, beyond worlds, beyond dimensions, and beyond the reach of ordinary reality, lay the Void Architect within his own domain.

The endless expanse of darkness surrounding him remained silent as ever. Rivers of black and crimson energy drifted through the void while fragments of ruined power floated endlessly around the colossal mass of red-and-black mist that served as his current body.

For countless years he had waited and searched.

Then suddenly he felt it.

The Void Architect became still.

A faint pulse traveled across the connection that linked him to his Creation.

The sensation was weak at first but then it appeared again and again.

The fragmented consciousness of the Creation was changing. It was growing and strengthening.

The red-and-black mist that composed his enormous body moved. His attention focused entirely upon that distant sensation.

The Creation was becoming more complete.

The possibility immediately surfaced within his mind. Were her fragments being gathered or people started restoring her?

For several moments he simply observed the feeling.

But then realization came and he felt that the Creation was indeed being restored.

The process had already begun.

The realization did not anger him. Instead, excitement surged through him.

The colossal mass of red-and-black mist convulsed violently. Vast storms of corrupted energy erupted throughout his dimension.

A low sound echoed through the darkness. Something between laughter and anticipation.

"Interesting..." The Void Architect’s voice spread throughout the dimension. "So they are doing the work for me."

—

Several minutes later, deep beneath Leonora Kingdom, the second phase of the ritual entered its most difficult stage.

The five minor fragments and three major fragments now floated together above the center of the chamber.

The sight was breathtaking.

Two big crystal fragments hovered within an intricate network of runes while rivers of Magical energy flowed between them. The completed formula rotated around the fragments like stars.

Yet despite the beauty of the process, the burden had increased dramatically. Far beyond what the Archmages had anticipated.

Velrion’s expression tightened as he directed another surge of Magic energy into the formula.

"Careful," he warned. "The resistance is increasing."

The others had already noticed. Combining the smaller fragments had been manageable. Summoning the larger fragments had been exhausting. But this was something else entirely.

The moment they attempted to merge all eight pieces together, the fragments began resisting one another.

Ancient power collided throughout the chamber making the air shake continuously.

The floor trembled. Sweat streamed down their faces. Their breathing grew heavier. Their hands trembled as they maintained several stabilization patterns simultaneously.

The fragments wanted to become whole. Yet at the same time, the immense amount of power contained within them seemed to reject forced synchronization.

Velrion gritted his teeth. "Don’t stop."

There was no turning back now.

Slowly and painfully, the two fragments now began moving closer together. The pressure filling the chamber continued to rise.

Finally, they merged. And an explosion of Magic energy happened.

—