The King That Once Stood.

Ballio was a powerful ruler who ruled the Velitha realm's Lamare country. He possessed everything a ruler could desire. In a vast domain, he lived in luxury. He lived an abundant life with his lovely daughter Cremia and wife Saida, whom he adored. Despite his love for his family, Ballio believed that wealth and land provided him with the greatest pleasure.

He would surround himself with gold objects on occasion as if he wanted to bathe in them. Money and land were his obsessions.

Dhodur, the deity of land, plunder, and revelry, passed into Lamare's kingdom one day in the search for one of his Twenty Five human wives after she ran away. Dhodur was spotted by King Ballio, who invited him to a lavish feast that lasted hours; grateful to Ballio for his kindness, and assured Ballio that he could grant any two desires. Ballio pondered for a moment before saying,

"I wish I could turn everything I touch into gold and own every piece of land I want."

Dhodur cautioned the king to consider his wishes carefully, but Ballio insisted on his two wishes. The next morning, Ballio was eager to see if his wish had come true. He reached out and touched a cup, which instantly turned gold. Ballio exclaimed with delight! He then touched a chair, a carpet, a door, his bathtub, a table, and so on, frantically running around his palace until he remembered the other wish he had made, land. Ballio ran outside and yelled

"All land in Velitha is mine to rule."

So he tracked Velitha's entire territory, which he now owns. He sat down at a table for dinner later that day, holding an orchid in his hands to smell its fragrance; when he touched it, the orchid turned to gold.

He sighed, disappointed, and said, "I suppose I'll have to inhale the scent without touching the orchids."

He wanted to eat a pomegranate seed without even thinking about it, but it turned into gold! It was the same with bread and water. He suddenly became terrified. Tears welled up in his eyes, turning to gold as they streamed down his cheeks, and his beloved wife entered the room at that precise moment. When Ballio stood up to hug her, she transformed into a golden statue as he wrapped his arms around her! Despairing and terrified, he raised his arms and prayed to Dhodur to remove the curse from him. Ballio cried at his wife's feet before the god heard him and did not feel sorry for him.

"The world has enough to meet man's needs, but not his greed."

The god said in a joking tone. He then instructed Ballio to go to the River of Deeds and wait. Ballio did so, running to the river and encountering Gazarin, the goddess of judgment. He knelt before Gazarin and begged forgiveness. Ballio sobbed until he couldn't anymore. He realized he was doomed when Gazarin told him he was going to hang him from a tree until he died, so Ballio gave up and awaited his judgment. Moments later Ballio was hung, and over time he merged into the tree, becoming the home of one apple, a gold apple of greed that grew in his chest, eventually becoming his heart and dying. Everything he touched, including his realm, went back to normal.

For many years, Ballio's hanging body has remained in good condition, with life sprouting all around him. Mumros, the goddess of calm, security, and peace, was devastated by the death of Ballios' wife and daughter. Mumros felt sorry for the two as she sensed a sad aura drifting away into the three realms of the gods.

"To see change and to be happy in this world, we must learn to forgive."

So Mumros gave Ballio life once again. Ballio's body started to form once again as if he was a flower that just bloomed. Gasping heavily with his eyes wide open with shock.

"I-I thought I was dead, how am I back here?"

"I brought you back from death upon seeing your wife and daughter lost without you."

Ballio shook Mumros's hand with gratitude and ran to his palace with his eyes lit up with happiness. When Ballio arrived at the palace, he joyfully hugged his wife and daughter before declaring his intention to become a great leader who cared about his citizens. Ballio changed for the better after that, becoming more generous and grateful for everything good in his life. He lived a happy life, helping the poor and building shelters that provided resources for those in need, and his death was deeply felt by the people of Lamare.