Zeal

General Information

Chrono Trigger

The Kingdom of Zeal

Era: 12000 B.C.
Music: Corridors of Time

The Kingdom of Zeal is a magical and splenderous civilization that existed in antiquity. Its roots were in the Frozen Flame; after this artifact was found, mankind was genetically given the power of magic. Together with the power of the Sun Stone, another artifact containing elemental energy, several people founded a kingdom whose foundations lay in magic; eventually, after much work and sacrifice, the continents on which the country was established took to the sky. There, cities of white and gold were created, while men and women, flush with the basic necessities and many enhancing opportunities in life, perfected art and science while seeking enlightenment. Human achievement reached its zenith; in the cities of Kajar and Enhasa, engineering was furthered with accompanying studies in magic, and dreams were researched as an imaginative frontier of understanding. The Enlightened Ones were led by a king and queen, whose powers of magic were innate, rather than borrowed from the Sun Stone. In addition, the three positions of Gurus were created, resulting in the appointment of three gifted individuals to certain posts in leadership. With the combined effort of its citizenry and the erudite, wise leadership of its rulers, Zeal was poised to elevate humanity higher than it had ever dreamed of before, uplifting men and women upon a lofty empire built in the heavens.

Unfortunately, the brush with the ultimate perfection of life would not last, as several tumultuous events spelled the downfall of the kingdom. Under the Gurus Belthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar, the being Lavos was found to exist slumbering within the planet. Lavos was immediately noted for his endless reservoirs of power, and plans were soon drawn up to extract energy from his emanations. After the untimely death of King Zeal, the Mammon Machine was constructed, and began drawing energy from the beast below. The elemental power sources of the planet were soon disowned in favor of the new energy; while the Gurus expressed doubt concerning the safety of the machine, plans were regardless drawn to construct an Ocean Palace on the floor of the sea to further harness the power of Lavos. Success in this endeavor meant that enough magical power would be supplied for the achievement of immortality; the citizenry avidly looked forward to the project's completion. Dalton, chief of security, began using Earthbound slaved to hurry the construction of the complex, while the princess Schala too expressed worries. Eventually, the day of christening arrived, and the Mammon Machine was transported to its final resting place at the bottom of the sea. Upon activation, Lavos awakened and caused a temporal distortion that scattered the Gurus and prince Janus throughout time. Queen Zeal and Schala remained, but the palace soon collapsed. Not content, Lavos erupted in rainings of fire upon Zeal, splitting the islands in twain and causing them to plummet to the ocean in ruin.

While a few survivors mingled with the Earthbound in Last Village, the culture and knowledge of Zeal had been lost to the flames of Lavos and buried beneath the sea. Legends and rumors of its might and magic were passed down in generations, though they were mostly dismissed as nothing more than idle fantasies. Even the tragic example of Zeal was lost; however, the legacy of the Gurus and Janus spirited away in the Ocean Palace Incident would continue exerting powerful influence upon the world. The Gurus each pitched in to assist Crono in saving the world from Lavos, while Janus became the fearsome mage known as Magus, and tried his own efforts at stopping the beast. While Zeal will never truly be resurrected or remembered, its shining example of the human need for improvement and learning, and the tragic fate the quest for immortality exacted upon it remain as examples of powerful storytelling. Perhaps the most appealing aspects to fans of the Chrono series, however, is the beauty of Zeal -- its emerald pastures and jeweled edifices, and the zealous appetites of its inhabitants, who lived boldly and sought the fulfillment of brighter dreams.