Chaos reigned across the Basin of Life as New Celest struggled to
maintain some semblance of peace between the newly returned cities.
Cririk Adom was content to wave contracts and ancient agreements, to
which Princess Sheia quickly agreed. Outraged, Scuchidira Tliwx demanded
more - she wanted not only Cririk Adom dead, but the Matrix destroyed,
once and for all. With the near extinction of Gaudiguch behind her,
Scuchidira's rage overflowed and, accompanied by a small contingency of
dracnari who were eager to side with the High Flame, attacked the Mesa
Compound in the Skarch.

Her anger not sated, she moved on, attacking the Arthar'rt Observatory
before climbing into the empty city of Hallifax. With a roar she called
upon the elemental fires that had not been seen in such fury in nearly a
millennium, the crystal bridges surrounding the Matrix combusting
violently into a roaring inferno. Leaping from the flames, Scuchidira
Tliwx attacked and slew Cririk Adom before abandoning the crystal city,
the Archmage saved only by the Matrix as he conglutinated. Angered at
the attack, Princess Sheia called a meeting between the two ancient
powers - one that ended with disaster.

Insisting that Hallifax be destroyed for the death of her guildmates and
friends, Scuchidira Tliwx made what would become her final request of
the Empire she had lived in and loved her entire life. To the shock and
horror of the High Flame, Princess Sheia Silverwing insisted it was as
much Gaudiguch's fault as Hallifax's that the cities were wiped out. In
a violent outburst, Scuchidira withdrew from the city. Pleased with
Celest's agreeing to his demands, Cririk Adom left New Celest to return
to Hallifax, waiting for the multitude of indentured servants and
precious gemstones that would soon be his, unaware that the Star Council
began to have doubts about the wisdom of their hasty agreement.

Eventually, New Celest realized that it could not meet the demands of
Hallifax. Too many gems were requested, too many indentured servants -
indeed, in the ancient days of the Empire it might have been feasible,
but not in their current state. Respectfully, Princess Sheia broke the
news to Cririk Adom. Without the slightest hint of emotion, the
cold-faced lucidian simply nodded and retired to his city. What happened
next shocked few, though some were taken aback by the reasoning behind
it - the next step was only natural in Cririk Adom's mind, the only
acceptable course of action. It was fueled by neither anger nor outrage,
fury nor even the mildest of agitations - to the old lucidian, it was
the most logical course of action, and so he took it.

With a politely worded post, Cririk Adom announced the city of
Hallifax's secession from the Holy Celestine Empire, and began what
would become known as the Second Founding - naming himself Governor of
Hallifax, Cririk welcomed all of his trill and lucidian brethren home.
The first was Kx'Krel Eepex, brother of Indiau Eepex from the Mesa
Compound. Agreeing to help with repairs, Kx'Krel restored the primary
entry to Hallifax - a magnificent glass elevator - to working order.
Pleased, Governor Adom named Kx'Krel Eepex the Senior Researcher of the
Diamond Project - after a careful review of his credentials, of course.
It was not long before the first trill began to arrive - three elegantly
clad nobles, Lady Shalmae Silverplume, Lord Faethun Skysoarer and Lady
Miella Windwhisper, rising up through the city's elevator. Indeed, the
flighty and cheerful Miella was excited to see the city returned, while
the austere and aloof Lady Silverplume offered little more than the most
begrudging of nods to the ancient lucidian. It soon came to light they
were descendants of master artists of Hallifax, and had come to claim
what was theirs by right - three of the great Galleries of Hallifax. As
Cririk began to explain the rights of property being passed down through
families, he realized they had not stopped to wait - already were they
exploring their newfound galleries and workshops.

Politely Governor Adom allowed them to what he knew was theirs by right,
so long as they could maintain an expected level of work - though it was
a shock to many gathered when Shalmae flippantly explained the arrival
of more artists, many who were students of hers - six Master Artists in
total, each with two apprentices, and nearly five times their numbers in
indentured servants, dedicated solely to serving their aristocratic
masters. Soon more and more of the descendants of the ancient city
shuffled into the city, joyful and teary-eyed.

For days they shuffled in, one by one - judges, slaves, artists,
bureaucrats, would-be politicians. Hallifax once more boomed with life.

Penned by My hand on the 8th of Shanthin, in the year 253 CE.