Fallen Zeal

[04.08.00] » by Nightsong

Zeal… the kingdom of dreams

That was the name given to it by many

It was given by many, and not without reason

For this was the land of magic.

But not all was a dream in this kingdom

Nay, not nearly…

For at the edge of every dream lies dread nightmare

The horror of the mind

Expressed deeply in the darkness

But never spoken of openly.

Thus was it with Zeal.

Though all must have known of the danger

The danger that these haughty ones faced

All were hypnotized with the lure

The lure of immortality…

Such has often been the downfall of man

Seeking to be as gods

When that is far beyond our capacity.

So, these peoples sought the mighty Lavos

Destroyer, dark lord of fire.

They lusted after his power

But - as has often been said

Playing with fire shall burn you.

The lure of unchange pulled them on anyway

Although some must have realized their fate.

That none can seek to become like the dark one

Without sharing the demon’s dark fate.

Indeed, Zeal fell with Lavos’ rage

They were betrayed by their visions of purity

They had all been a trick

An illusion of peace

While dark chaos festered beneath.

While Zeal shined with beauty with the dead world underneath

The frozen earth was truly more alive

For the beauty of Zeal was frozen in time

Like a smile on the face of a corpse.

But, like all things, the beauty of the dead does not last

And Zeal rotted just underneath the surface.

It’s mad queen was the most obvious part

Of this hideous decomposition

But, in a way, you could feel the slow unraveling

As you looked at each Zealian’s haughty face.

For Zeal had forgotten something

Something vitally important.

They forgot who had given them their power

And acted as if it was their own.

They didn’t honor the one who had blessed them

And they spread their curses on the ones left below.

In the dread omen of ebony

These truths came at last to light.

But even then it was not a light of purity

It was the light of an inferno engulfing Zeal.

Engulfing the hopes of it’s people

Ripping apart the very land.

And thus, Zeal had proven it’s namesake

For all dreams mus come to an end.