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"What's this all about?" Jackie asked her blonde best friend. Mai frowned.
"I don't know... but Dartz has been acting really weird all week."
Jackie frowned and looked forward.
"Yea, I noticed that too..." She replied.
It had been a week since Jackie and Mai's 'falling out' with Valon. Jackie couldn't help but wonder if this had something to do with Dartz calling them all together. Perhaps he was sick of them fighting and not talking to each other.

Jackie and Mai reached the doors to he meeting room just as Valon came down the opposite hall. Mai scowled at him and stuck her nose in the air, then opened the doors with an indignant snort. Jackie followed suit and tried her best to look angry with him, but inside, she wanted to walk up to him and wrap her arms around him, hugging away all his problems. But, she'd made a pact with Mai not to give in, and despite what she wanted to do, Jackie knew Mai was right. So, reluctantly, Jackie turned away from Valon and entered the Meeting room.

Valon stopped and starred after Jackie and Mai, frowning deeply. Clearly they were still mad at him, and honestly, he didn't blame them. He knew he wouldn't be any different if it was the other way around. However, the fact that Mai was angry with him no longer seemed to bother him; but seeing the look on Jackie's face had nearly torn him apart. Valon sighed heavily and walked into the room, kneeling like the others when he was in front of Dartz. He would have to push his personal problems to one side until Dartz was finished with them.

"Here we are, now everyone's here." Dartz said with a smile. "Alright, stand up."
The people kneeling in the room stood up and looked up at the blue-haired man.
"What's this about?" Jackie asked curiously.
Dartz smiled at her.
"Patience child." He said kindly. Dartz looked over all their faces and gave them each a gentle smile.
"I called you all here to thank you."
Jackie and Mai exchanged confused looks before turning back to Dartz.
"I'd like to thank you for all your efforts towards our little... project... and congratulate you all. Each and everyone of you has obtained an un-recordable number of souls for the Leviathan and you have all made me very proud! I'm pleased to call you my own."

Jackie smiled at her mentor.
"I'm sure I speak for us all when I say we're proud to have served you sir."
The other four people in the room all gave solemn nods. Again Dartz gave them a smile.
"So sweet of you." He said absently. Jackie frowned at his cold tone.
"I also wanted to tell you all goodbye."
Jackie furrowed her brows. She didn't like where this meeting was going.
"What are you talking about...?" She asked curiously. "Where are you going?"
Dartz laughed dryly.
"Oh no my dear, I'm not going anywhere. It's you who's leaving us."
Jackie tensed and starred at Dartz.
"I'm not going anywhere." She said coldly, wondering what had gotten into the man.

Valon growled and clenched his fists at his side.
"What are you on about?!" He growled angrily. "Tell us!"
Darts smiled calmly.
"As I said, you've all made a great effort to help me raise the Leviathan and I thank you gratefully. But alas, the time has come and we finally have enough souls. Well, nearly. We just need a few more good, strong souls. And, lucky me, I have five right before me."
A collective gasp was heard around the room as all five duelists finally realized what was happening. As one, they all turned back to the doors, ready to run, but the doors slammed shut with an unknown force. They all turned back to Dartz with scowls.
"Who are you?!" Jackie growled savagely. "And what have you done with Dartz."
Dartz laughed.
"Why, it is me child! Don't you recognise me?"
Jackie glared at him.
"You're not Dartz! Dartz would never do something like this!"

An evil look suddenly spread across Dartz's face.
"Is that what you think? Oh dear. It seems I've deceived you a bit haven't I? Apparently you don't know me as well as you'd thought."
Jackie's eyes widened.
"You're mad!"
Dartz's evil smirk widened.
"Perhaps." He replied maliciously.
Jackie's fists clenched at her sides and she felt a pang of betrayal stab at her heart.
"Was this your plan all along?" She asked softly. "Just use us and feed us to the beast like all the others? Did we mean nothing to you?"

Something flickered in Dartz's eyes and his expression softened.
"No of course not..." He replied softly. "I loved you like my own daughter, you reminded me so much of my sweet Chrissy, and-"
Suddenly Dartz's expression changed again and the same, obnoxious, evil smirk was again plastered on his face.
"Of course that was my plan you stupid girl! Do you really think I actually cared about any of you?!"
Dartz snickered.
"Don't make me laugh!"
Jackie frowned. He seemed sincere, but Jackie couldn't quite believe him. Still, she said nothing more.

Seeing that she had nothing more to say, Dartz looked out over his charges again.
"Now then, I suppose it's safe now to tell you all what actuallyy happened in your pasts."
The others in the room all glared at Dartz.
"What do you mean what actually happened?!" Alister asked angrily.
"Patience boy!" Dartz mocked. "But, since you asked, I think I'll start with you. You see, despite what you have been... lead to believe, it wasn't Gozaburo Kaiba who blew up the tank your brother was in. Oh no. While it very well may have looked like him, I was in fact the one who ordered that attack. Quite the master of disguise aren't I?"
Alister starred at Dartz in absolute shock.
"Y-you... b-but... Mikey... my little brother..."

Dartz turned to Rafael while Alister continued to mutter to himself in shock.
"Rafael-"
"YOU!" Rafael shouted furiously. "You sunk the ship didn't you?! It's your fault my family's dead!!"
Dartz smirked, not seeming taken back by Rafael's outburst at all.
"My, aren't we quick. You are right of course."
Rafael's fists clenched by his sides and trembled with the tremendous effort not to jump the man before him.

Dartz then turned to face Valon.
"Apparently you aren't quite as quick as you're leader are you?"
Valon growled but said nothing. He knew now, obviously, that Dartz had had something to do with the horrors of his past, but he couldn't quite pin point exactly what.
"How dissapointing." Dartz said simply. "You were right in your assumption that those three men had burnt down the church. But what you didn't know, was that I was the one who ordered the fire."
Valon's mouth dropped open in shock as the images of flame, burning wood and broken glass seared his memory.

"And what about me?" Jackie hissed dangerously. Dartz turned and smiled evilly at her, seemingly delighted to be able to tell her the truth at last. But just as he opened his mouth, Alister seemed to finally come out of his trance.
"YOU BASTARD!!" He screamed in rage. His cry seemed to shake Valon and Rafael from whatever held them back as well, and together they made to charge at the blue-haired man before them.
"Ah, ah, ah!" Dartz said scoldingly. "Can't have that can I?"
And with that, chains shot up from the floor and fastened themselves to Alister, Rafael and Valon's wrists, effectively restraining them.
Valon screamed in furry.
"YOU! I can't believe it was you! It's your fault Sister Sammy is dead!! All these years 'er murderer was right under me nose, and I didn't even know it! DAMN YOU!!"
Mai was simply starring ahead of her speechless.

Dartz turned back to Jackie, ignoring the three young men cursing him and struggling close by.
"Now dear, as I was saying, before we were so rudely interrupted."
Dartz stepped off the platform he was standing on and took a few steps towards her. Jackie's body screamed for her to back up, but pride kept her rooted in place.
"A bet they said, wasn't it?"
Jackie was taken aback. "
"What?"
"A bet." Dartz repeated. "Kain and his men had placed a bet on your parents' duel am I right?"
Jackie starred at him in confusion for a moment, then shook her head and nodded.
"Yes... but-"
"Well that much was true." Dartz interrupted. Jackie was more confused than ever. "But when they couldn't find a way out, I offered them one. I tripled the amount of money they'd lost in exchange for one thing -- they get rid of your sister and parents."
Jackie's eyes widened in horror.
"NO...!" She gasped.
"Oh yes." Dartz continued. "It was a win/win situation for us all; they got back more than what they'd lost AND got payback for your parent's treachery, and I, well, I got you."
A tear rolled down Jackie's cheek as she starred at Dartz in shock. But her shock was mush shorter-lived that the boys'.

Jackie's face contorted in anger and she immediately hurled herself at Dartz with lightning speed, hands stretched for his throat.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!!" She screamed in rage. "I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Her hands were nearly around Dartz's neck when a pair of chains restrained her just like the boys.
"My oh my." Dartz said with a delighted smirk. "That was a bit close wasn't it. Such rage! You all reacted much better than I thought! The Leviathan will be stronger than I anticipated!"
Jackie growled fiercely and tugged with all her might at the chains.
"You WILL NOT get away with this!!" She yelled angrily. Just then, one of the chains restraining her gave a loud groan and the floor around it cracked slightly.
Dartz looked positively delirious.
"Excellent!" He said happily. "Such strength! That's good child! Don't loose that rage! Although, I can't have you breaking free before I can capture your soul now can I?"
And when Dartz said that, a third chain shot from the ground to aid the weak one, along with a fourth which wrapped itself around Jackie's neck. He then turned to look at Mai.
"I suppose I should chain you too." He said absently. "Just in case."
And so, Mai was chained too, though she didn't seem at all inclined to move.

Jackie choked from the chain around her neck, then looked back up at Dartz and glared at him murderously.
"I hope you rott in hell!" She spat savagely.
Dartz simply snickered and turned away from her.
"Enough wasting time!" He declared, growing suddenly serious. "It is time!"
The three chained men yanked and pulled at their chains uselessly. Dartz then looked out over them all.
"Lets starts this show!" He said maliciously. He held his hands out in front of him and the floor around Rafael, Alister and Mai's feet glowed bright green. The three looked down and a look of panic crossed their faces as the Seal of Orichalcos appeared around them. The seal closed in on them and they screamed in mortal pain as their souls were ripped from their bodies.
Tears flooded Jackie's eyes and she painstakingly endured her friend's tortured screams, then watched their lifeless bodies drop to the floor in heaps.
Dartz then turned to Jackie, and seeing the look on her face, his smirk widened.
"I'm sorry my dear, did that dull your rage? Can't have that can we? Would you like to know how your sister died? You see-"
"Shut up!" Jackie screamed, throwing her hands over her ears and squeezing her eyes shut. Dartz smirked and raised his hands again.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Valon watched as the seal of Orichalcos appeared and closed in around Jackie. It seemed to move in slow motion and each second was agony to him. Finally the seal stopped and Jackie opened her mouth and screamed wildly. It was a long, dragged out scream that tore Valon apart from the inside out.
"Jackie!!" He yelled painfully.
Tears flooded his eyes and he reached out for her, but the chains only stretched so far and she was too far away. It was then that Valon realized that he hadn't felt anything more for Mai when her soul was taken than he had for Rafael or Alister. But hearing Jackie scream was killing him.
"Damnit Jackie! I'm sorry, I' so sorry! Why didn't I appologise to you sooner?!"Jackie turned to face him and the look in her eyes tore apart anything that may have been left of Valon's heart or soul. She starred into his eyes for a long time until her strength finally seemed to fail her and she dropped to her knees, then finally the ground.
"JACKIE!!" Valon screamed in agony, still reaching for her. He dropped to his knees and starred at her helplessly as his tears finally streamed down his face. His head snapped up and he glared murderously at Dartz.
"Why?! How could you do this! She was like your daughter!"
Dartz's smirk was finally wiped of his face and he scowled at Valon.
"Don't question me boy! I'm doing this world a favor! By cleansing it of it's filth, I'll remake it better than ever before! Just like my once fair Atlantis!!"
Valon continued to glare at him.
"Fine! Just 'urry up and get it over with! You've already taken away everything that's ever meant anything to me!"
Dartz's smirk returned.
"As you wish."
Valon looked down and saw the seal close in around him. He screamed blue murder when the seal was upon him. It felt like he was being physically ripped apart. After what felt like an eternity, the pain finally stopped and Valon's entire body felt numb. He stretched out his arm just as his body fell to the ground, reaching for Jackie. She had fallen in such a way that her body was straining the chains as much as they would allow. Her left hand was very close to him.
Valon stretched as far as he could and his fingers brushed hers. Tears continued to stream down his face as he starred into Jackie's cold, dead eyes.
"Fine, take me..."Valon thought miserably. "I can't live alone anyway..."
And with that thought, the darkness finally claimed him.