Zilva Madigan

Zilva Madigan (ジルバ・マヂィガン) is a central antagonist and adviser to Karegia's royal family in Tales of Rebirth. Cunning and manipulative, Zilva's actions during and prior to the events of the story cause a number of tragic events and ultimately set the plot of the game in motion.

Susie's Flashback
Zilva is first seen during Susie Quess's flashback of her time at Karegia Castle, where Zilva came to her in a room of Huma girls and politely asks that Susie visit with Queen Agarte Lindblum. After Susie reluctantly accepts Zilva's request, Zilva leads her to the throne room, where Agarte meets with Susie personally. In Zilva's presence, Agarte carries a conversation with Susie before attempting to use her Force of Moon to swap bodies with her. After the failed attempt, Zilva rushes to Agarte's aid and consoles her with the hope that soon she will find a worthy vessel. Agarte apologizes to Zilva for causing her trouble, but Zilva reassures her that it is her duty to serve her. Susie's re-telling of this event to the group provides them insight into Agarte's actions, though Zilva's presence is scarcely recognized.

Claire's Test
Later in the story, Claire Bennett visits Agarte in one of several sequences referred to as "Claire Side". During this sequence, Zilva pacifies Claire in the same manner as she did Susie and leads her to the throne room. Unlike Susie, Claire carries a calmer demeanor and follows Zilva without hesitation. Again in Zilva's presence, Agarte carries a longer-than-usual conversation with Claire, intrigued by her views on race. When Agarte attempts to swap bodies with Claire, she succeeds briefly and claims that Claire will be the one who will "redeem" her. Despite this, Zilva urges Agarte to be patient and wait until the day of the crowning ceremony. Agarte agrees, citing that all shall come to end the day of the ceremony, but Zilva argues that the day shall instead be a beginning for Agarte and Karegia. Agarte then asks Zilva if she believes "he", referring to Milhaust Selkirk, will acknowledge her intimately, and Zilva reassures her that the barrier that separates her from Milhaust "shall surely vanish without a trace". After Agarte thanks Zilva for her kind words, an intruder—later revealed to be Yottsua—is spotted by Zilva, who calls for the guards and forces him to retreat. Yottsua later tells this event to the group.

Confrontation at Karegia Castle
During the group's initial infiltration of Karegia Castle, they are caught by Saleh of the Four Stars, who stalls them until Zilva and Agarte coincidentally pass and notice them. Without hesitation, Zilva labels the group intruders and calls for the guards to seize them. However, Eugene manages to convince Agarte to grant the group an audience with her. In the throne room, Zilva makes it clear to Eugene that he has been convicted of murder and banished from the castle. Eugene states that he is fully aware of this fact and avoids the topic by asking Agarte why she is gathering Huma girls from across the country. Agarte is silent at first, but then tells the story of a legend. She explains that the country is heading toward a path of destruction and that she plans to use her Force of Moon to deliver her country from this destruction. When Veigue Lungberg demands to know about Claire, Agarte claims that Claire shall be her hope, which confuses the group. Zilva then calls the guards to arrest the group, commanding them not to defile the throne room with their blood. After a quick battle with the guards, the group is arrested and detained at Balka Prison.

Ritual and Ascension of Power
After the group escapes from Balka Prison and returns to Karegia Castle, they find Zilva with Agarte and Claire at the ritual dais that sits at the top of the castle. As Veigue approaches the ritual site, Zilva demands the guards restrain him, and he is forced to witness the ritual take place inhibited. Agarte uses her Force of Moon to bathe herself in light and allow its power to complete the ritual. As the rest of the group approaches, Agarte suddenly loses control of her Force and calls for Zilva, who stands in awe at the event. Suddenly, the Divine King of the Sacred Beasts, Geyorkias, appears and and introduces himself as such. In an epic battle, the group manages to overcome Geyorkias and subdue his power, ending the ceremony. After the battle, Claire lies unconscious nearby, while Agarte is absent and presumed dead.

After the events of the ceremony and Agarte's presumed death, Zilva usurps power and seizes control of the Karegian army and Royal Shield. The Four Stars are frequently seen carrying out her orders, and Milhaust openly acknowledges Zilva's new power, citing that she only wishes the best for the kingdom. Later, Agarte visits the castle in Claire's body for Zilva's help—the ritual having been a partial success—and is told by Saleh that she can find Zilva at the ritual dais. When Agarte arrives at the top of the castle, she finds Zilva giving a speech to a large group of Gajuma. Zilva states that the country is in racial conflict and brimming with hatred—a result she blames on Huma. Gathering the Gajuma crowd's support, she emphasizes how it is the Gajuma who have bore the "burden of suffering time and time again". Convincing the crowd that they nor any other Gajuma shall ever fall victim to the hands of a Huma again, Zilva rallies the crowd until they notice Agarte in Claire's body and attempt to seize her for being a Huma. After escaping, Agarte finds Saleh, who reveals to her Zilva's true nature—that she instigated Agarte and conducted the ceremony, perpetuating these events.

The Truth
Zilva appears a final time deep within Mount Sovereign, where she berates the Four Stars for failing to stall the group. She tells them that she shall obtain the Sacred Beast King's power and save the world by eliminating all Huma and building a country solely for Gajuma, the "chosen people". Claiming she shall rule this "ideal" kingdom, Zilva informs the group that her vision is the will of the Sacred Beast King. During this statement, Zilva taps her crop weapon in her hand—a gesture Annie Barrs recognizes from the visions during her Sacred Beast trial. Eugene then beckons to know the truth behind Doctor Barrs's death. Zilva nonchalantly admits that it was she who swapped bodies with Dr. Barrs, poisoned Ladras Lindblum, and attempted to kill Eugene. After being stabbed by Eugene, Zilva fled Dr. Barrs's body and returned to her own, leaving him to die.

The news is shocking to the group—particularly Eugene and Annie. Zilva also admits to have deceived Agarte, prompting the group to engage her in battle. After her defeat, Zilva screams in agony and curses Eugene for shattering her dream of a world without Huma. She then laughs, claiming that the Sacred Beast King will kill them soon enough, regardless of her death. Veigue counters this statement by claiming he and his companions will persuade Geyorkias otherwise, at which Zilva scoffs. After a cry from Annie, Zilva then directs her attention to her and taunts Annie with the mention of her father's death. Zilva cites the love between a parent and child as a beautiful thing before yelling that it makes her "want to puke". Zilva then dies, leaving the group to communicate with the Sacred Beasts about the current situation.

Appearance and Personality
Zilva is goat-like Gajuma woman bearing large pink horns and dressed in formal attire. She has a slim build and animalistic face, though her brown hair is braided neatly around her horns and descends into a ponytail in the back. She wears armor on her head and neck, while her large, beige coat is adorned with a decorated breastplate that contributes to the colorful scheme of her attire. She wears a hot pink belt and long, green gloves. Her purple pants extend into a pair of large, pink boots, and a dark blue cape trails down her back, splitting at its end and partially revealing her tail. Zilva carries a crop with her at all times and uses it as a weapon in combat.

Zilva is a highly manipulative woman capable of deceiving others who remain unaware of her true nature due to her pacifying speech and calm demeanor. She gives little thought to the lives ruined because of her actions and longs for a world without Huma—a world populated entirely by Gajuma and ruled by her. Zilva's plan to make her dream a reality begins a year prior to the events of the story, as it is revealed that she was the one who caused King Ladras and Dr. Barrs's deaths, leaving the blame of Ladras's death to Dr. Barrs's and Dr. Barrs's death to Eugene. This, in turn, caused Annie to hate Eugene and all Gajuma. With Ladras gone, Zilva was able to manipulate Agarte by playing on her feelings for Milhaust. It is also by Zilva's influence that Hilda Rhambling was abducted by Tohma years prior to the events of the story, as Zilva told Tohma of a Half's power.

Fighting Style
In battle, Zilva fights with her crop and uses a number of spells and moon-oriented attacks that derive from her Force of Moon. Only members within the royal family possess the Force of Moon, meaning Zilva is not only the royal adviser of the kingdom, but also in relation to the royal family. This power extends beyond the ability to swap bodies, as Zilva makes full use of her Force in combat. In the fight at Mount Sovereign, she begins the battle with her Fusionic Force Finality Shade Moon Rebellion, which deals a large amount of damage. Zilva moves extraordinarily quick in battle, capable of interrupting a spellcaster before he or she has a chance to cast a spell, while her own spellcasting is nearly impossible to disrupt. Her close-combat moves consist of crescent moon-styled artes, and some her spells include Shining Ray and Power Kraft, which creates a circle that increases her physical attack power as long as she is withing range of it. Zilva is fought only once during the course of the main story, as her death immediately follows. In Cyglorg's Chambers, she can be fought alongside Geyorkias on the 40th floor of the dungeon.