As you can tell by the title, this is the chapter where the last destined one is found and the fourteen destined ones split up to find the seven pieces of Shabranigdo. If you do the math, there are fourteen destined ones, divided by the seven pieces of Ruby Eye equals two destined ones per piece of the dark lord, though only one is needed to free Ruby Eye.
"We've found thirteen of the fourteen destined ones. How are we going to find the last one?" Lina mused aloud.
Luna turned to Xellos. "Demon-boy, what about the scroll?" Xellos nodded, and pulled the piece of parchment out of his bag. "Well, it says that it's a lord of cold and ice, that will only come when you invoke his name."
Lina got on top of things. "Okay, this is what we know; the last destined one is male, a lord, and associates with freezing temperatures. If we know his name, all we have to do is say it, and he'll come. Hmmm... I can't think of anyone."
"Well," Phibrizo pointed out, "There aren't any limits to who this could be. There are dragons, mazoku, and humans in this party, all of different social classes. For all we know, this could be the leader of the snow wolves."
Xellos shook his head. "No, the leader of the wolves is female."
Phibrizo grinned. "Oh yeah. Beast King Zelas Metallium. So it's not the leader of the wolves. It was just speculation anyway."
Rezo thought for a moment. "For all we know, the lord could just be a cold person, live in a cold place, or both. Or maybe it means he rules ice. The possibilities are endless."
Zelgadis (who had come back shortly after his disappointment) was sulking in a corner, brooding over his own problems, when he heard what Rezo had said. "I think it's all three. The Lord of Nightmares has so far chosen important people, people who have done things in the world, good or bad. We have to prioritize. Who is the most important person that fits the description? We should limit it to humans at first, or at least people who can take human form."
Xellos snorted. "Well, then it's perfectly obvious."
Lina glared at the mazoku. "If you're so smart Xellos, enlighten the rest of us stupid plebeians. And don't say 'that's a secret,' for I'll stuff a Fireball up your ass."
"It's Dynast Grausheela of course. The Northern King."
Dynast was depressed. For some reason Lina Inverse and her friends were no where to be found, so all his plans were shot to hell. So, Dynast did what he always did when depression set in (every other week or so). He teleported to his secret stash of lemon sorbet, got a carton, then teleported to the one couch in his whole castle. Grausheela then pulled out his copy of the book 'The Count of Monte Cristo' (he was obsessed with romance novels) and spent the rest of the day eating sorbet and crying about Edomnd's lost love... for the fourth time. Well, Dynast happened to be doing his depression routine the day Lina Inverse and her friends arrived at Sairaag. He had just finished gritting his teeth over Edmond being thrown in prison, and was marvelling at the convenience of living in a freezer (your sorbet never melts), at the exact moment Xellos revealed who the last destined one was.
Well, one second you're eating sorbet and reading a romance novel in your living room, the next you're half-way around the world in the holy temple of your lord's enemy. To say the least, all people involved were surprised; even Xellos. It probably didn't help Dynast's image much to have the couch, sorbet, and novel transported along with him.
Amelia was the first to come out of her jaw-drop. "Oh, 'The Count of Monte Cristo!' I love that book! But it's so sad that Edmond loses his fiance."
Dynast was elated, and for the moment forgot his situation. Finally, a fellow lover of the greatest novels of all time! "Yes, it was terrible. I almost felt the beginnings of anger when he was betrayed by his friends. It was great that he found true love in the end..." Dynast suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Well, of Lina anyway.
"Ooohhhh, sorbet! I love sorbet! Gimme!" and the little sorceress tried to pry the lemony goodness out of the dark lord's hands.
"You little witch, let go!"
"How dare you call me a witch!"
"Fine, you're not a witch, you're a shrew! This is MINE!"
"I'm Lina Inverse, beautiful sorcery genius. Who do you think you are, keeping me from food!"
"I KNOW I'm Dynast Grausheela, and you'd have to pry this sorbet from my cold, lifeless fingers!"
Lina let go, frozen in shock. Dynast didn't notice, and kissed his carton of sorbet. "Ahhh, victory!" The dark lord looked around for the first time, and his mouth fell open. "Oh, shit." Dynast then caught sight of the trickster priest, and grimaced in recognition. He grabbed the front of the mazoku's shirt. "Xellos! What the hell happened!"
Grausheela shook him like a rag doll. Xellos stuttered. "Um, well..."
"Out with it, Greater Beast spawn!"
"I believe you were summoned to help save the world. You are the last destined one after all. And the Tri Anzi do need to be stopped."
Dynast let go abruptly, and Xellos fell to the ground in a heap. "You've got to be joking."
Zelgadis shook his head. "Afraid not. We were supposed to look for a lord of cold and ice, who would only come when his name was invoked. You fit those requirements."
"What escapes me," Luna drawled, picking up 'The Count of Monte Cristo,' "is how the cold hearted ice lord, most powerful of the remaining dark lords, can spend his time crying over tasteless romance novels."
"TASTELESS!" Dynast cried, snatching back the novel. "Romance novels are priceless treasures. The authors who wrote them are worthy to be placed above the gods themselves! Romance novels are what kept me from losing it! Do you know how monotonous the scenery gets, trapped in a frozen wasteland?!"
Amelia jumped to his defense. "Mister Dynast is right! Romance novels are what keep the world full of justice!" Ok, ok. This is far too melodramatic for the supreme king, but romance novels are his weakness.
Dynast broke off his reverence to the wonderfulness of romance novels to stare at Amelia. Not for the reasons you'd think though. "Um, calling me Mister Dynast doesn't work. It's like calling you Miss Princess. Dynast is a title, like Greater Beast or Hellmaster."
"Oh. So what do I call you?"
"My name is Grausheela."
"Ok, Mister Grausheela!"
This was far too bizarre for Lina. "Hey, romance boy, if you're trapped in a frozen wasteland, how can you be here?"
"If someone more powerful then the hellbrat wanted me here, then they could break the barrier."
Gourry was stumped. "Um, who's the hellbrat?"
Then again, Lina was stumped, too. "Gourry, I have no idea."
Dynast sighed. "It's what I call that squirt Phibrizo. He trapped me in the north after the last war, because he couldn't kill me, and I was about to switch alliances from him to Gaav. Hellbrat knew that Gaav's powers and mine combined would easily match him and Zelas, so he made sure I couldn't intervene directly."
"Why are you guys talking about us as if we aren't here?" Dynast looked at the reincarnated Gaav and Phibrizo, and his heart sank. "Now I know this is a joke."
Lina was sheepish. "Sorry you guys. I just keep forgetting who you are. You aren't very intimidating."
"Duh," the children chorused.
Dynast glanced at the remaining children. "Who are you?"
"Well, my name is Aqua."
"Never heard of you."
"These people called me the Water Dragon King."
Dynast sighed. "Well, that rings a bell."
"I'm Rezo."
"I know about you as well. You were the holder of Lord Shabranigdo."
"I'm changing my name." Everyone stared at Kopii.
Dynast grinned. "What an interesting name you have."
"Kopii's a stupid name, and these people keep forgettting and call me Copy Rezo. I was, but not in this lifetime."
Rezo shrugged. "So what do you want to be called, brother?"
"Auros. It's the name of the legendary swordsman with the sword of light who died protecting his country from being invaded by mazoku two thousand years ago, then got resurrected as a demon himself."
"Interesting choice," Xellos murmered.
Val opened his mouth to name himself, but Dynast shook his head. "Don't bother. I know who you are." The dark lord bowed. "Well, it was nice meeting all of you, but I have prior plans," and Grausheela abruptly disappeared.
Gourry looked hard at the place where Dynast had been. "Hey Lina, where'd Grinshutup go?"
"Gourry, it's Grausheela, not Grinshutup. I swear, you mangle names so badly."
"He called me Zalgidos, and Ruby-Eye, Shabbydingle, to name a few," Zelgadis supported Lina's claim.
"Gourry, I think he went back to the north pole." Lina guessed.
Xellos sighed. "Well, that's a problem."
All eyes turned to him. "Why?"
"No one can bother Dynast in his domain. Nothing short of the Lord of Nightmares could drag him out," and Dynast appeared again, this time in chains, "who apparently just did."
Dynast sighed. "Okay, I get the point Mother. I'm not going anywhere." The chains vanished, "and don't bother explaining anything to me. Sheela gave me a printed copy of that was said here before I arrived," and he held up five sheets of paper that were word processed (amazing, in a world that doesn't even have typewriters yet).
Lina rubbed her hands together. "Okay, first order of business is..." and everyone leaned close, "dinner!" There was a communal face-fault.
Sylfiel got up, rubbing the back of her head. "Well, it is pretty late. Maybe we should start this tomorrow."
Lina clapped her hands together. "Okay team! We seperate, and arrive back here at ten p.m. sharp to begin planning."
"Lina, isn't that a little late?" asked Zelgadis. "A girl needs her beauty sleep!" snapped Lina, and walked out, calling for Gourry to join her at the nearest inn. Gourry was out like a shot.
Dynast shook his head. "I've never understood the concept of beauty sleep. I always thought sleeping made humans look rather unattractive when they woke up."
Sylfiel called after Lina and Gourry, "Miss Lina! Don't you and Gourry dear want to come over to my place for dinner?" The two bottomless stomachs were back so fast they made grooves in the floor where they had skidded to a stop. Sylfiel turned to rest of the group, "You're welcome too." Dynast and Xellos shook their heads.
So did Filia, who said, "Valteirra and I will stay at an inn."
Gaav, Phibrizo, Aqua, Rezo, and Auros (before known as Kopii) declined as well. "We need time to think things through," Rezo said apologetically. "We'll stay at the temple tonight."
Amelia agreed cheerfully though. "I'd be happy to. Your cooking is so good Miss Sylfiel."
Sylfiel blushed, but gestured for Lina, Gourry, and Amelia to follow her. Luna shrugged, and followed Sylfiel as well. Two seconds later... Amelia came running back into the room. Dynast, Xellos, Filia, and Val had already left, but the five children were playing poker (with gold coins they had gotten from bandits who tried to rob them on their way to Sairaag). Zelgadis was still sulking in a corner, until Amelia ran into him. "Come on, Mister Zelgadis! We're going to be late!" And she proceeded to drag him out of the temple (which is by no means easy. He's made of stone, after all). The children looked at the spectacle, and blinked. About that time Phibrizo got a Royal Flush, so the scene was forgotten for the moment.
That night... "What am I doing back here?!" Lina shouted into the abyss. She shuddered; there wasn't even an echo.
"You don't have to be so loud Lina." The sorceress turned around, and the rest of the destined ones were standing a short distance away. She glared at Zelgadis, who was the one who had reprimanded her. Dynast was regarding the surroundings with interest. "So this is a dream..."
"The destined ones must seperate into seven different groups, with two people in each. Here's the list." The list floated down into Lina's hands.
"Wait!" shouted the sorceress. "What about..." The darkness disappeared, and Lina woke up. "That was fast," she muttered. Lina started when she saw the list was still in her hands. The sorceress didn't feel like looking at it; she was tired, and thoroughly cross at the Lord of Nightmares. "This stupid journey can wait," and she went back to sleep. Well, the Lord of Nightmares was cross at Lina for being cross, so as punishment, Lina had nightmares the rest of the night.
Lina walked down the stairs of Sylfiel's mansion (Sylfiel had inherited a lot of money from her father), and found the rest of the destined ones, plus Sylfiel, sitting around the gigantic dinner table, having breakfast. Well, not exactly. Luna, Xellos, and Filia were having tea, Sylfiel, Amelia, Rezo, Auros, Phibrizo, and Aqua were having moderate portions of food, Dynast and Zelgadis were having coffee, with equally glum looks on their faces, and Val, Gourry, and to Lina's surprise, Gaav, were consuming what was left of Sylfiel's pantry from last night's dinner.
The sorceress yelped at that last. "Gourry, leave me some food!" and she dived into Gourry's breakfast.
The swordsman squeaked in protest, "but Lina, that's my food..."
"I don't care! You should have left me some."
Val and Gaav, in the meantime, were fighting over the last of the sausage. "Hey lizardlips, I saw it first!"
"Lizardlips! You're one to be talking, Demon Dragon King! Besides, my fork clearly pierced the meat before yours did."
"It doesn't matter whose fork gets to it first. It only matters whose mouth gets to it first!" and with a triumphant yell, Gaav dived into the sausage. Val gaped, but soon followed. The two had opposite ends of the sausage in their mouths, pulling and glaring at each other, which, oddly enough, barely looked unusual, because Gourry and Lina were doing the exact same thing, except with a piece of steak. Sylfiel and Dynast stared, but Gaav's friends and Lina's friends just sighed resignedly, use to the the morning fights over food, though previously Gaav had no one to fight with.
Filia didn't stand for the fight between the two dragon boys, however. "Valteirra, stop it this instant!" and she smashed her son in the face with her mace. Val went flying across the room, and crashed into a wall. Gaav swallowed the sausage, and gave the victory sign. He stuck his tongue out at Val. "You lost this time, lizardlips."
Val, far from being hurt, glared at the Demon Dragon King. "You just got lucky, demon scum. You will not win the next duel." Gaav gave a mocking bow in Val's direction. "Anytime, old newt."
Val blinked. "Old newt?"
Gaav sighed. "It's making fun of your race. Old is a synonym of ancient, and newt is a synonym of dragon."
"Oh. Then I guess I should feel insulted."
"Yes, you should."
"Unfortunately, that moment has passed."
Gourry and Lina were still fighting over their steak. In the end, Dynast froze it so the steak shattered, and had his first pummeling experience ever courtesy of Lina. He did not particularly enjoy the pummeling as Xellos always seemed to, but remain calm, holding Lina at arm's length while the sorceress swung her fists in an effort to reach him. In the end she gave up, and the rest of the Slayers cast asked Dynast for anti-Lina pummeling lessons, which Dynast politely refused to give.
At the end of breakfast Xellos asked Lina about the list, which the sorceress had forgotten about. She pulled the scroll out, and began to read: "Group number one will consist of Amelia and Phibrizo, who will first head to Seyruun, and will discover information about a piece of Shabranigdo. Group two will include Gaav and Filia, who will go to the ruins of the temple of the Fire Dragon King, and will find someone who will assist them. Group three is Gourry and Kopii (sorry, I mean Auros), who will go to the village of Gorova, and discover a magical artifact that will enable them to travel to the north pole, where Lei Magnus is imprisoned. No one else will be able to free him or activate the artifact, and only the artifact will enable them to get inside the barrier that holds Lei Magnus. Group four is Zelgadis and Rezo, who will head to the black tower, and will find a clue to the whereabouts of the newly recreated piece of Shabranigdo that use to possess Rezo's eyes. Group five consists of Xellos and Aqua, who will find a piece of Shabranigdo in the one place that no magic resides in this world. Group six will have Grausheela and Lina, who will travel into a cross-dimensional portal at Zephilia, then head north. A piece of Ruby Eye will be in the last place they expect. Group seven, Valteirra and Luna, will head to the portal as well, except they will head south. The last piece of Shabranigdo will be found by someone they are with, but not Valteirra or Luna themselves."
A serious silence came over the destined ones, one that was abruptly broken when Gourry scratched his head and asked, "Lina, can you read that again? I forgot whom I'm with." There was a communal facefault.
As Auros got up, he raised his hand. "Mister Gourry, you're with me. We're heading to Gorova to find a magical artifact, which will transport us to the north pole and enable us to free Lei Magnus, who is trapped."
Gourry still didn't get it. "Uhhh..."
Auros sighed. "It appears that I'm going to be the brains of this operation."
Dynast pointed over Lina's shoulder at the list. "Hey Lina, you missed the fine print."
"Oh yeah," and Lina squinted to read the small print. "Name one from another world, and he will help you. Huh. Well, the only people we know besides Darkstar who aren't from around here, are Almace, Ariloguos, and Sirius, but Almace and Ariloguos are dead, so..."
Two seconds later, Sirius, the overworlder in question, appeared. He was holding two items. No one even looked surprised. Sirius spoke, "The Lord of Nightmares summoned me to this world. I am aware of the problem, and are here to assist you," and Sirius handed Gourry the sword of light, or Gorn Nova.
Gourry stared at the hilt for a moment, then grinned. "Light come forth!" and a blade made of pure light sprang forth from the hilt. Gourry gave it a few experimental swings, his face filled with satisfaction in having his old companion back again.
Sirius turned to the rest of the Slayers. "Galvayra does not have an owner, so you will have to decide amongst yourselves who will possess it. These are dangerous times, entities from another world. You need all the help you can get. I will be watching over you, in the shadows," and Sirius handed the bow of light to Lina, disappearing immediately afterward.
Everyone stared at Galvayra, and Lina decided to make a generous decision. "I don't need the bow of light. A lot of people here don't. I think the one who needs it most should have it," and everyone immediately looked at Amelia. She said in a quivering voice, "Why are you all looking at me?"
"Well Amelia," said Zelgadis in a matter-of-fact voice, "we took a vote, and it was decided you need Galvayra the most."
"Here," said Lina, and handed the bow of light to Amelia. She tried to reject it. "You didn't take a vote!"
Xellos nodded. "You're right, we didn't. All in favor, say aye." There was a general chorus of ayes. Xellos turned to Amelia. "Well princess, there you have it."
"But..."
"Just take it, Amelia," and Lina shoved the bow of light into the princess' hands. Amelia stared at Galvayra, then wrapped her hands around it, acknowledging her ownership of the weapon, which she clearly felt uncomfortable with. Xellos handed out fourteen copies of the list, which he had pulled out of his bag. "We should leave as soon as we get provisions. From what Mother said, the war between the Tri Anzi could break out at any moment."
Luna sighed. "Wasn't this meeting supposed to take place at the temple?" There was a general silence as everyone assessed the obvious, but Sylfiel giggled in embarrassment after a few moments. "I think everyone forgot about that."
"Forgetting is simply the process of hiding away what one is uncomfortable with or does not wish to do." Grausheela commented from behind a newspaper that had appeared from thin air, a.k.a. an alternate dimension.
Lina glared at Dynast. "If that's all there is to it, why didn't you remember?"
"I didn't want to bother getting up. Besides, no one asked."
Lina pouted. "Your logic is along the lines of Xellos reasoning."
The supreme king said dryly, "I'll take that in the mean spirited way it was intended."
While everyone (the non-mazoku anyway) was glancing at their new partners, feeling uncomfortable, Lina thought out loud to break the silence. "I think it's not a coincidence that no one really knows their partner, except maybe their previous selves. Zelgadis and Rezo being a prime example."
Zelgadis looked at the little boy who used to be his grandfather, and the chimaera's mouth set into a grim, hard line. Rezo shifted uncomfortably. He had the feeling that his journey would not be pleasant in the least. Amelia was unhappy with her partner as well. "Miss Lina, I don't want to partnered with Hellmaster Phibrizo. An evil monster like him is filled with injustice!"
Lina sighed. "Think, Amelia, about what we're setting out to do. We're on a journey to resurrect the dark lord Shabranigdo, and you're complaining about being paired with a little boy who used to be evil. Do you know how stupid you sound?"
"But Miss Lina..."
"No buts, Amelia. Besides, I have no control what so ever with whom you're partnered with, so it's no use complaining."
"That's never stopped you before, Lina."
"Shut up, Zel."
Phibrizo sighed. "Why does everyone keep on talking about us as if we aren't here?"