In order to fully understand the conflict that Valgarv suffers with, it's important to also understand the world in which Slayers takes place in.

The Lord of Nightmares, also known as the Sea of Chaos, created four worlds, each of which rest on the Sea of Chaos. All four worlds have a dark lord and a dragon god of equal power. On the world in which Slayers takes place in, the dark lord is called Ruby Eye Shabranigdu and the god is called Flare Dragon Ceipheed.

Five thousand years before the story of Lina Inverse takes place, Shabranigdu and Ceipheed had a great battle at the edge of the world. Neither dragon god nor dark lord were victorious -- Shabranigdu was shattered into seven pieces and sealed into seven humans and Cephieed's power was diminished as he fell into the Sea of Chaos. However, each left behind subordinates to carry out their duties. Shabranigdu left behind five mazoku lords (Mei-oh Phibrizo, Maryuu-oh Gaav, Juu-oh Zelas Metallium, Ha-oh Dynast Grausherra, Kai-oh Dolphin) and Ceipheed left behind four dragon lords (Karyuu-oh Vrabazard, Suiryuu-oh Ragradia, Kuuryuu-oh Valwin, Chiryuu-oh Rangort).

Approximately one thousand years ago, the five mazoku lords came up with a plan to resurrect one of the seven pieces of Shabranigdu that was asleep within a human named Lei Magnus. Phibrizo, Zelas, Dynast and Dolphin set up a barrier on the continent where Slayers currently takes place and Gaav was to battle Suiryuu-oh. Ryuzoku and mazoku of all sorts fought against each other during this time. Unfortunately, Suiryuu-oh sealed Gaav into a human body and Lei Magnus was frozen in the north before Shabranigdu could be fully awakened. This war was known as the Kouma War.

It was during this time of war that the golden ryuzoku asked the ancient ryuzoku for help. Not wanting to participate in a war that would kill hundreds of their kind, the peaceful ancient ryuzoku declined. Furious and jealous of their power, the golden ryuzoku committed genocide against the ancients. The only surviving one was Val Agares.

There is more information about the world of Slayers but this is the basic information you need to know in order to understand what's going on in the following sections. ^^