#Oooh! Midas lore!

[wolf-m-the-hybrid]

King Midas of the Kelpic kingdom.

The Kelpic kingdom was a grand kingdom by the sea. Its enchanted mines were full of gold and gems. Everyday those riches would refilling, creating an endless supply. Midas shared his treasures with the world. He was known as the Golden King, or the Selfless King.

But one day… the mines stopped producing its riches. The people stopped mining, thinking that the magic simply needed time. But to no avail. The people began to grow restless, upset, worried. So they asked their king, no, begging for an answer. But even Midas didn’t know.

So one day, Midas announced that he would console with the wisest god of them all, Shamura. Surely they would have an answer to their problem. So Midas left the kingdom, ridding towards Silk’s Cradle. However, the king did not know that he was followed.

Halfway into his journey, Midas meet The Fox. He told Midas that consoling with The Bishops will simply take too long. And in that time his people will slay everything to gain their riches. At first Midas did not believe The Fox, believing that he was lying. But the more The Fox spoke, and the more he stares into his eyes, Midas’s mind began to grow weaker.

Eventually Midas’s mind was numb enough for The Fox to make a deal with the king. The Fox would replenish his mines with its riches, but Midas had to kill someone. With a numb mind Midas accepted the deal. He was given a compass that would point in the direction of the king’s target.

So Midas hurried back towards his kingdom, his mind beginning to clear from the numbness. Upon his arrival the king was greeted with his wife… and daughter. The compass’s arrow pointed right at his precious little princess. His shining jewel. Realizing what he and The Fox agreed on, Midas needed a plan.

After 3 moons The Fox appeared before Midas, asking why he hadn’t finished the deal. Midas pointed his lance at The Fox, demanding for the deal to be off. But The Fox simply said, “Buy your majesty, you can’t back out in one of my deals. There are consequences for such acts.” Midas did not care, he wasn’t going to sacrifice his daughter’s life or any others for gold. “I warned you starfish. Now you shall be cursed.”

A surge of energy erupted from Midas’s body. It felt like fire was cracking his very bones. When the pain disappeared, so did The Fox. Upon hearing his screams, the queen went to see Midas, laying on the ground. Upon his hand touching her skin, the queen’s body began to turn to gold. Midas, horrified tried to undo his mistake, but the longer he touched her the faster the gold spread. Right before his eyes he saw his wife, frozen in place as a golden statue.

He ran, Midas ran away in fear and shame. People of his kingdom saw him ran, some even trying to help. But every time he touched someone their bodies turned to gold. Midas ran as fast as he could away from Kelpic, away from everyone. But he couldn’t run away from The Bishops. Kallamar found Midas, scared and afraid of his own actions. The Bishop knew exactly what had happened as Midas’s mind once again began to numb.

Kallamar trapped Midas in a pond, just king enough for the other Bishops to appear. They had seen it before, creatures and gods cursed by The Fox. They make a deal, and when they can’t finish said deal, they are cursed. And from that curse, The Fox controls them. But, with the power of the 5 crowns, that link the curse has to The Fox can be severed.

And that’s what they did, the Bishops severed The Fox’s control to Midas’s curse. Or, curses. The first curse was that of a golden touch. The other, of immortality. The king begged The Bishops to get rid of his curse, to free him from this power. But they could not. Not even the power of the 5 crowns could get rid of the curses inflicted upon creatures.

Midas was told that his golden touch can be controlled but he didn’t listen. He once again fled, but this time he had a reason. To protect people. If he is simply not there, then he won’t be able to hurt anyone. So Midas ran away once more, finding a place for him to hide.

It was a strange cave that he found. A large open space with a single well in the middle. The waters were pitch black, showing no reflection back. Midas hid in that cave, away from the rest of the world. But every now and again, creatures would come into that cave. But not for him, for the well. They would drop something into the black waters of the well, and make a wish. These objects were… anything! Coins, dolls, flowers, vegetables, to name a few.

Some wishes were noble and reasonable.

“I wish to find love.”

“I wish for a child.”

“I wish for a home.”

Few would ask for gold, but some had good reasons.

“I wish for gold to save my farm.”

“I wish for gold to save my home.”

“I wish for gold to save my love.”

But some, had darker wishes.

“I wish for death.”

“I wish for power.”

“I wish for control.”

Even the ones who ask for gold were selfish.

“I wish for gold, even though I already have many.”

“I wish for gold, to buy an entire town.”

“I wish for gold, to raise an army.”

Midas watched these creatures come for wishes. He grew bitter towards those who were greedy. So, he stepped in, asking everyone who wanted a wish, what the wish was for. Those with noble and kind wishes he let them grant. But selfish wishes he told them to leave. Those who did not… they never left the cave. Becoming golden statues to set an example.

Over time, people began giving riches towards Midas, thinking to please him. Gold, and reviving so much of it, became the only thing to fill the starfish’s heart. He still let noble and kind wishes wish for free, but others… they will have to pay a fee.

Over the years Midas became a whisper. Some refusing to go into his cave in fear that they will never leave. Others will go in, hoping to get a wish. And others gave riches to Midas in hopes of good fortune.

But over the years, even gold stopped healing Midas’s heart. He was lonely in his now shiny cave. He had moved on with a new life, but he was still not happy. So one day, Midas took off the pin of his cape, one of the last remnants of his old life. “I wish,” he said. “I wish to find happiness in friends or a family… I wish to no longer be lonely…” He dropped the pin into the waters, is wish sinking into the depths below.

Midas did not know if it will work. Or even if the well can grant wishes. But, he wanted to try. Little did Midas know that his wish was heard, and it was being granted. He just needed to wait…