Kron the Undying had shepherded his people for many centuries, and the unnatural life the mirror, long shattered, gave him did nothing to ease his weary soul, which grew heavier every day. He had been long ago written:
A blessing or a curse?
No matter how we try
We cannot trick the universe"
poem by @chrisroberts source linked below
Kron felt it deep within his bones. The universe wanted its due, and Kron now secretly wished for a death he knew he could never gain. However, if death were an option, Kron truly believed, his sense of duty and dedication to his people would prevail over his desire for closure to what had been a long, prosperous life unnaturally extended.
When Kron felt the craving for mortality, his aged wisdom would not let him dwell on it long, and he galloped with all speed as a demon unshackled from the abyss itself. The only way to overcome the existential crisis unique to immortality was to entirely fatigue every muscle in his massive frame. Exercise alone did not fuel this run, however, as Kron sensed a deep surge and shift in the deep magic of the splinterlands. Something was very amiss, and the balance had shifted with dire consequences. He knew he must ride to see his friend and confidant, the Magi of the Forest.
Kron had no doubt that the Magi would be admiring the Rexxie surrounding the Great Pit, as he often did this time of year. Kron and the Magi, had agreed the Great Pit opening was the result of some arcane time magic, but they had very different opinions on the part it played in the balance of the land. The Magi so loved his Rexxie, and he better not have thought he deceived THE Kron into believing that the Magi didn't have an impact on their explosive growth. He had hoped his friend had not taken his near silence for approval or gullibility.
A voice in his head told him that the journey wasn't worth it. The imbalance Kron had perceived was nothing, and he was simply worrying too much. Kron knew better than to listen to that voice in his head, however, and he spent many centuries developing his mental toughness. He wasn't just massive in stature. One does not gain the sheer amount of muscle mass that Kron had with a weak mind. One had not lived centuries caring for their people with a weak mind, and one certainly did not advise travelers from all distant lands with a weak mind. No Kron had developed a great deal of aptitude in persevering through that voice that told him to give up-- that enough was enough. Someone else will take care of it. Kron scoffed at the lies in his head and galloped harder with a renewed sense of purpose.
When Kron came upon his old friend, he was weaving a spell, and Kron interrupted him abruptly with a thunderous voice.
"Someone as old as you knows better than to upset the balance of magic!"
The Magi of the Forest did not flinch, as he always had the uncanny ability when his friend expressed his never subtle disapproval of his slight aid to the majestic Rexxie. After a few seconds, the nearly immortal magi responded politely and with an almost eerie calm Kron had come to expect and detest,
"Hello my good friend. I've missed you so."
"This is not a time for pleasantries! I am well aware you already know why I'm here! What I don't know is why I had to come to you, and you didn't already seek an audience with me!"
Kron appeared close to the end of his patience, but the Magi knew him too well. Kron was always more patient than he appeared, and it was fun to toy with him when he was animated with emotion.
"There is always a time to be pleasant my friend." His calm tone and demeanor not shifting in the least. "I too have sensed the foul magic from afar." "What do you propose we do?" The Magi asked already knowing what his friend would suggest.
Kron never liked the Magi's utter disregard for the urgency of matters this severe. "Do you now detest travelling? I'm shocked you're even in Anumun for the mating season of the Rexxies."
The Magi of the Forest let a small grin escape his lips. "I always make time for Rexxies. You know there is no emergency so dire that I would leave them when they need me most."
Kron was appalled the Magi would now be so blatant about his manipulation of the natural order, and he fought back the urge lecture and browbeat him because he knew the task at hand was far more important. Kron's ire and restraint was not lost the Magi who always had the uncanny knack to read his thoughts and emotions no matter how well his friend thought he could hide them.
There were many ancient games of chance and perception, and Kron couldn't best the Magi at any of them. However, if the Magi ever provoked Kron enough to attack, the Magi would be annihilated. These complimentary attributes made them an unstoppable force when they worked together. It was this interlocking strength that bound them together more firmly than any disagreement could undue. Despite Kron's complete lack of subtlety, the Magi knew him well enough to know that Kron would never behave as impulsively as to attack him.
Kron and the Magi both knew they would journey together to distant lands to investigate the source of the disturbance, but, as is the case with ancient beings with a unique perspective on time, this agreement would not be attained easily or quickly. They bickered together for a full week with interspread moments of laughter and levity. They, of course, put the bickering aside at every feast. Aside from their ancient lifespans, they also shared a ravenous appetite. Kron feasted upon barrels of the finest vegtables from the eastern forest, which he did not often enough have opportunity to enjoy, and the Magi would feast upon yet another completely indecipherable meal of unknown origins.
And each night, the voice would grew louder. The voice would not be denied. No one has ever resisted Silas forever.
While the story is original, I relied heavily on the character profiles by @chrisroberts, and I'm very much in gratitude of the amazing work @nateaguila, @chrisroberts, @carrieallen, @isaria, and many more!
I relied on the following character profiles heavily for their personalities and many details about their background prior to this original story.
https://www.publish0x.com/splinterlore/splinterlands-epic-card-profile-magi-of-the-forest-xpjqzjj
@steemmonsters/rexxie-arrives-splinterlands-lore
The poem at the beginning of the story is a direct quote from the Kron the Undying Character profile.
I also want to thank my homie @drabs587 who does the Lore Trivia Giveaway with me every Sunday at 7PM EST on the Unofficial Splinterlands Lore Discord Server. If you want to get utterly lost in the lore, the unofficial Splinterlands Lore Server is a treasure trove of information with organized links to every bit of lore the devs released that we were able to find.
Please also check out the Splinterlands official Discord linked below:
If you would like to play splinterlands, you can do so at https://splinterlands.io
Make sure you buy a Rexxie NFA. #SaveTheRexxies