In the autumn month of Ligara, in the year 2926 AS, a little over 20 years after the restoration of Kerei Akír, Theron summoned the Hallowed Champions to return to the great keep of the Library Steps. Theron—having resumed his apprenticeship after the events of yesteryear—had risen to the grand and honorable Arch Master of the Arts, and continued to serve the will of the Gray Lord. In his missive to the Champions, he pressed for urgency in their arrival and a warning that dark forces moved against them.

Upon their arrival to the Library Steps, Arch Master Theron greeted the Champions with the warmth of remembered camaraderie and a sadness that they must be again called upon for service to the realm. While en route to the chambers of Kerei Akír, he explained that the fusion that had been performed on that fateful night was faulty, the arcane formula he used was incomplete. The will of Lord Ataxis had proven more cunning than any had known, obscuring the parts of the formula that would steal him away within the Gray Lord. Since that time, Lord Ataxis had waged a mystical campaign within the psyche and spirit of Kerei Akír, attempting to assume control of the whole of the Gray Lord's being, usurping his arcane might and knowledge. Worse still, Lord Ataxis was winning; it was simply a matter of time before victory and the return of his dark presence would be assured.

When the group arrived at the chambers of Kerei Akír, they found a weary and embattled being, battered physically and spiritually from the relentless mystical assault from the usurper within. When the Gray Lord spoke, his voice resonated throughout the keep, infused with the beauty of life, the wonders of the Balance, the suffusion of raw mana present in all aspects of his person. He spoke of the great conflict within his person, his strain at keeping Lord Ataxis at bay, and his desperate need to stop the darkness from returning. He explained that Lord Ataxis had used divination to foresee his defeat at the hands of Theron and the Hallowed Champions and worked in secret to ensure that this victory for them was costly, and ultimately, fruitless. Lord Ataxis had discovered the formulae from the time of creation: the source of how mana was brought into the world.

Using this knowledge, combined with his twisted desire for power, synthesized an arcane mineral and refined it for his use, the Corbumite Stones. Hewn from the minerals mined from the roots of the Forge-Mountain, the Corbum Ore was extracted and passed through the dark furnaces of the Forges of the Blackened Flame, tumbled with various magical elixirs to purify their contents. Once transformed , Lord Ataxis summoned infernal lapidary artists to cut, facet, and polish their final polyhedral shape. At the last stage, Lord Ataxis ordered the gem cutters engrave the formulae on their surface which would cause them to activate and serve their purpose in his machinations: absorbing all of the mana from the world of Anaias and its inhabitants. Kerei Akír explained that Lord Ataxis had hidden the Corbumite Stones away so they may complete their purpose, slaying the infernal servants he had summoned. Kerei continued to explain that once the Stones had absorbed enough mana, Lord Ataxis would bring them together to create a critical mass that, when detonated, would release a staggering amount of arcane energy that would obliterate the world of Anaias. Lord Ataxis would then capture the resulting unrestrained mana and use this to ascend, destroy the Foundry, and supplant them as a new deity.

The Gray Lord, weakened from his relentless battle against Lord Ataxis, implored the Hallowed Champions to embark on this dangerous quest. Their mission was twofold: to gather the scattered Corbumite Stones from their hidden places, and to find a way to thwart his plans and prevent the destruction of the realm. Armed with their skills, knowledge, and steadfast determination, the Hallowed Champions set out on their perilous journey.

They traveled to distant lands within Anaias and into other Planes of Existence, battling the minions and agents of Lord Ataxis who sought to hinder their progress. Along the way, they encountered both the Vexation Undone and the Refracted Eye who instructed them on how to understand and attune with the Corbumite Stones. As the Champions collected the Stones, they discovered that each Stone held a unique resonance with a different aspect of the Balance of All Things. They realized that by attuning themselves to the stones and harnessing their combined power, they could create a counterforce against the impending catastrophe.

Their path eventually led them to the sacred grounds of the Foundry, where the very fabric of reality was shaped. There, they sought the knowledge and guidance of the Primordial Sage, who revealed to them an ancient formula, a convergence of mana and willpower, capable of disrupting the destructive potential of the Stones. The Champions returned to the Library Steps, armed with newfound knowledge and resolved to face Lord Ataxis and stop his plans. They stood before the Gray Lord, who had grown weaker with each passing day, his existence hanging by a fragile thread. Together, they enacted the ritual, channeling their collective strength, the power of the Stones, and the echoes of the will of the Foundry.

In the harrowing battle that followed, the Champions confronted Lord Ataxis at the very heart of his dark domain. They unleashed their combined might, striving to overcome his malevolent will and thwart his ambitions. As the battle raged on, the Corbumite Stones resonated with the power of the Balance, amplifying the Champions' power and weakening Lord Ataxis.

In a final, decisive blow, the Champions managed to destroy the Corbumite Stones using the same Forges of the Blackened Flame that had first smelted the Ore, disrupting the critical mass necessary for the fatal detonation. The released mana surged through the realm, restoring balance and vitality to the scarred lands of Anaias. Lord Ataxis, his power diminished, was cast into the void, his dark influence banished. As a final act of defiance of his own dark psyche, Kerei Akír sacrificed his remaining lifeforce to eternally seal the dark dimension into which Lord Ataxis was cast.

Grief-stricken, the Champions mourned the loss of the last of Highlords and someone they considered to be a wise mentor, knowing that his noble spirit would be forever intertwined with the Balance he had sworn to protect. The Hallowed Champions, along with Arch Master Theron, gathered the remains of the fallen Gray Lord and performed a solemn ceremony, honoring his memory and vowing to carry on his legacy.

As the Time of the Shattering drew to a close, the Hallowed Champions emerged as beacons of hope and agents of stability in the newly restored world. They would continue to protect the realm, nurturing the Balance of All Things and guiding its inhabitants in the new age, Deshu Dath, towards unity and harmony. The scars of the past would serve as a reminder of the fragility of existence and the ever-present need for vigilance in the face of darkness. In their hearts, they carried the indelible mark of the Gray Lord's sacrifice, a testament to the unwavering spirit that would forever shape destiny.