Some of the characters and settings used in this FanFic were not created by me. Those characters and settings were created by DC Comics.

This story is still in development, so please let me know if you spot major typos or confusing dialogue.

Chapter 9: The First Gate Opens

NOW..

Dissolution's Projected-Mind

The walls surrounding Donna Troy and Dissolution begin to wave and change, as a new portal takes its place at the center. During which, Donna leans back on a couch and closes her eyes..

Donna Troy: Hmm.

Dissolution: (looks to her) What?

Donna Troy: I am not sure how I feel about seeing this part of his life. Also, I guess I should thank Acacia for the overall outcome of her kidnapping.

Dissolution: (confused) Why you say that?

Donna Troy: (eyes open) Well, it seems that Ravager was starting to develop a crush on Alvaro.

Dissolution: (continued) Crush?

Donna Troy: (smile and looks to him) It's what we call the first-stage of love.

Dissolution: Yeah. (hand to chin) I can see it now that you mentioned it. (raising head) Oh, wait. Ravager wasn't..(looks at Donna)..Nevermind.

Donna Troy: What? What is it?

Dissolution: (smirk) It's what you refer to as a "spoiler".

Donna Troy: Huh?

Dissolution: (crossing arms) I would tell you, but I am sure the memory will show itself when the time comes.

Donna Troy: (pout) Oh, okay..

She stares at him as he closes his eyes, and then back at the portal which now has a stable-image..

Dissolution (thinking): The key to the second gate, Akiko Is..

Donna Troy (interrupting): Tsch.

Dissolution looks at her, and sees a frown in her face while she stares at the center-portal. He turns to the portal to find out why Donna suddenly is upset..

Donna Troy: Figures. I start to have a reason to like her again, but she does something to make me want to hit her.

Dissolution: (chuckle) Like oil and water.

The walls around them now take the form of cavernous-walls, as it reflects the image from the portal at the center. In the image, Acacia drags Alvaro behind her from the back of his shirt through a path inside a cave. Around the path, two rivers of lava flow in different directions to each other..

15 YEARS IN THE PAST..

"(nearby) Damn, Titans. They couldn't just hand him over, and let me be on my way back here. No. Instead, the cowards challenge me to a 6 vs 1, and then run away when the fight starts to get interesting. Tsch."

Alvaro eyes open slightly as he regains consciousness..

Alvaro (thinking): Is..that..Acacia?

Acacia: Ugh! I hope Lord Hades grants me permission to get revenge. I will show them no mercy next time, and kill them all.

Alvaro: (dazed) Aca-cia?

She stops and looks behind her to see him looking up at her dazed. Soon after, Acacia releases his shirt and turns around to see him..

Acacia: (frown) Can you walk?

Alvaro: (gets up) I think so.

He looks around the cavern path, and then quickly looks behind him..

Acacia: Sorry, about what I did earlier. (crosses arms)

Alvaro looks down at his hands, as if ignoring her attempt at a conversation..

Acacia: You know, when I hit you with the back of my Katana. (blush) Sorry, but the human..

Alvaro (interrupting): What happened to Ravager?

Acacia: (confused) Hmm? The girl with white hair?

Alvaro turns his head, and stares at Acacia with a menacing-look in his eyes..

Alvaro: (glare) Yes. What happened to her?

Acacia: (looks away) I think she is fine. We teleported here, before she could strike me..(thinking) Why does he care about what happened..

Alvaro (interrupting): Acacia?

She looks up to see him scratching his head, and looking around the cave confused..

Acacia: Yes?

Alvaro: (turns to her) Where are we?

Acacia: (continued) Huh? Don't you remember this place, Disso? This is one of the shortcuts from 'Man's World' to 'The Underworld'. You have used it more times, than I have?

Alvaro: Disso? (briefly looks behind) Who's that?

Acacia: (continued) What?

Simultaneously, they both look down at the floor with wide eyes..

Alvaro (thinking): Did she say..'The Underworld'?!

Acacia (thinking): Is this still Alvaro?! But those eyes? I only felt fear like that from Disso and Lord Hades.

Alvaro (interrupting): (gloom) Am..I..dead? (looks at shaking hands)

Acacia (thinking): Relax Acacia. (deep breath) It probably was the confusion that made you see their eyes in his own.

Alvaro (thinking): I thought she said..

Acacia: No, you are not dead. (frown) Like I said earlier, I teleported you here at my Master's Request. Now, follow me. (starts walking) We are already late.

Alvaro (thinking): I didn't see an exit when I looked behind earlier. If this is really the underworld, I don't think I will find the exit on my own. (catches to Acacia) Best if I stick with her for now.

After catching up to her, he looks ahead to see a glimpse of a large stone wall..

Acacia: (looks at him) What's your name?

Alvaro: (turns to her) Alvaro. Did you forget..

Acacia (interrupting): No. (frown) I simply confused you with someone else for a second.

Alvaro: Oh. (looks ahead) By the way, this master of yours?

Acacia: Yeah?

Alvaro sees a large castle now surrounded by the stone wall he saw earlier..

Alvaro: (nervous) Is your master, the Devil?

Acacia: Hehe. Yes and no.

Alvaro: (looks at her) Huh? Which one is it?

Acacia: Do you know the story about the Greek Gods?

Alvaro: (finger to chin) Uh yeah, is that the one with Zeus?

Acacia: Yes. Hades was the Greek God that was given 'The Underworld.' Even though he does not get bad souls only, he still makes the final judgement.

Alvaro: I see. (thinking) Man, I hope he doesn't look like him either.

Acacia: (stops) We are here.

They both come to a stop in front of a large wooden gate on the surrounding stone-wall..

Alvaro (thinking): How the heck is she going to open..

Acacia (interrupting): Briareus, I have arrived with the boy (bows).

CLANK CLINK CLANK

The large wooden gates open showing a large castle with 2 men standing at its entrance. Acacia signals Alvaro to follow her, as she walks towards the two men in the distance..

Hades' Castle, The Underworld

As they get closer, Alvaro clenches his right-arm with his left-arm which Acacia happens to notice..

Acacia: The one on the left is Lord Hades, God of the Underworld. The one on the right is Briareus, Loyal Knight and Servant to Hades. Bow down when we come to a stop.

Briareus: (smile) Greetings Acacia, and Sir Alvaro Ramirez. (waves)

Acacia: (waves) Hello Briareus and..

Hades (interrupting): You're Late, Demon. (smirk)

Acacia: (bows) Apologies my lord. I had a problem..

Hades (interrupting): I will deal with you, later..

Alvaro (interrupting): Hey, what's your problem?

Hades turns to Alvaro who is staring at him with a frown..

Acacia: Alvaro shut-up! And didn't I tell you to bow down when I stopped?

Alvaro: To this guy? Who shows no..Ugh.

Hades raises his right-hand which appears to now control Alvaro's body. He slowly bows down, as the Greek God lowers his hand in front of him..

Hades: Demon, you may retreat now to the castle.

Alvaro (thinking): What the heck is going on?! I can't move my body?!

Acacia: Understood, my lord.

She stands up and heads for the castle, but does not enter without getting a quick look at Alvaro..

Hades: Human. I find your defiance amusing, so I will ignore it this time. Now I have an offer to make you.

Alvaro: (struggling): Your customer service sucks.

Hades: (confused) Customer Service?

Briareus: I believe Sir Ramirez is saying your manners are terrible, my lord.

Alvaro (thinking): Shit, that probably wasn't a good idea consider who this guy..

Hades (continued): I don't mind human. It's actually true to some extent. (smile)

Alvaro (continued): (shocked) Did he just read..

Hades (continued): Your mind? Yes I did. Although very faint, I can still hear it thanks to my son.

Alvaro: (confused) Your son?

Hades: Yes, before you were born I made a deal with your mother. In exchange for saving your weak soul, I would receive hers around your current age.

The greek God brings both hands behind him, releasing Alvaro's body from his control..

Alvaro: (wide eyes) Mother? (thinking) Is that where she was going this morning?

Hades: Yes. However, I generously gave her an extra day to make you an offer instead. (smirk)

Alvaro: (stands up) What is it?

Hades: Ah. Straight to the point. (smile) Your soul is stronger now, than that of your mothers. I would much rather have your son now, rather than hers. What is your..

Alvaro (interrupting): I accept. (staring)

Hades (thinking): Is this Dissolution or the human now?

Alvaro: This son of yours?

Hades: Yes?

Alvaro: Is his name Disso?

Hades: Dissolution. (thinking) How did he know his name?

Alvaro: Okay. So do you need me to sign a contract or something?

Hades: Well, not exactly human. Briareus?

Briareus walks up next to Hades holding a box in his hands. The box has a black-skull on its top-side, while being surrounded by a black aura. Hades takes the box, and holds it in front of Alvaro..

Alvaro: What's that?

Hades: 'Our contract'. Once you open this box, you will have accepted my offer and saved your mother. (smirk)

Alvaro slowly places his right-hand on top of the box, and attempts to open it. However, he struggles to get it to open with said hand..

Hades: Are you refusing my offer, human?

Alvaro: (struggling) No! It won't open..

He also places his left-hand at the top of box, hoping it will now open..

"Human, Alvaro Ramirez?"

Alvaro quickly releases the box after hearing the strange voice come from it. The skull on top of the box now has two glowing red eyes..

Alvaro: (nervous) Yes?

"Do you wish to open the first-gate, 'The Gate of Mind'?

Alvaro: The first gate? (looks at Hades)

The Greek God nods, as he continues to hold the box in front of him..

Alvaro: I do.

"Very well."

The box now opens on its own, revealing a ski-mask inside it..

Alvaro: A ski-mask? What the heck am I..

The ski mask suddenly melts inside the box into a black-liquid. After which, several black-tentacle slowly rise from the liquid into the air each pointing different directions.

Alvaro: Huh?

"Hakken!"

Suddenly, all the tentacles shoot towards Alvaro and wrap around his head. Using his hands, he desperately tries to free himself from the tentacles to no avail. The liquid substance now floats in front of Alvaro face, as he attempts to free himself from its tentacles..

"Alvaro?"

Alvaro: (open eyes) Huh?

Alvaro now stares at a smiling-face formed in the black-liquid substance in front of him..

"(wink) Stay still, okay?"

Before he could react, the black-liquid shoots itself towards his left-eye with its tentacles following behind it. After doing so, Alvaro's collapses to his knees with his left-eye now completely covered in darkness. He now appears to show no signs of life, as he stares motionless at the floor below him..

Briareus: Pardon my curiosity, my lord. But what is taking place now?

Hades: The replica will decide whether the human is worthy of its power..

Alvaro: (dazed) Ugh.

Alvaro wakes up to the shine from a hanging-light above him. He stands up, and notices he surrounded by a thick-darkness aside from where he stands..

Alvaro: Where am I now?

"You're finally awake. Welcome Alvaro, welcome to your inner-mind. Hurrah!"

Another hanging light turns on, and shines on a man wearing a black-ski-mask with a black-suit. The man throws his hands into the air, bringing a variety of balloons to fall from the darkness above him..

Alvaro: (confused) My inner-mind?

"Yes, but only a part of your inner-mind. (bows) Now shall we get started. (snaps finger)"

The area around the two now loses some of its darkness, showing an open-gate and a chair behind the odd-man. The man reaches inside his suit-pocket and pulls out a box of cigarettes as he sits down..

"You smoke, Alvaro? (pulls out a cigarette)"

Alvaro: Uh, no. Who are you?

"(cigarette in mouth) Good. Cause I wasn't going to offer you anyway. You got a lighter?"

Alvaro: Huh? I just told you I don't smoke.

Alvaro tilts his head to the side and squints, as he stares at the odd-man now looking at his left-index-finger. Suddenly, the odd-man quickly swings his finger against the ground which causes a flame to appear on it..

"(lights cigarette) But why don't you smoke. (puff) It's so cool! (smile) Look I made the cloud into a halo!"

Alvaro brings his left-palm to his forehead, and slowly brings it down against his face..

Alvaro: (annoyed) It's not exactly healthy for..

"(interrupting) Oh my god!?"

Alvaro: What? What is it?

Alvaro looks at the odd-man now crushing the light-cigarette with his right-foot..

"Why did you offer me this cigarette? It's bad for my health and not cool, dude!"

Alvaro closes his eyes and shakes his head repeatedly, after hearing him get blamed for the cigarette..

"So Alvaro, I have a couple of questions I wanted to ask you?"

Alvaro: Yeah? (looks up)

Unknown to him, a chair instantly appears behind Alvaro as he leans back to sit down..

"(relaxing head on left-hand) How are old are you?"

A neon-sign appears above the open-gate with the words "GATE OF MIND" flashing..

Alvaro: 12 years old.

"(relaxing head on right-hand) Do you have any siblings?

Alvaro: (looks up) Uh. I don't think so.

He looks back at the odd-man to see him now wearing a blonde-wig above his ski-mask, which causes Alvaro's jaw to briefly fall open..

"(playing with a female-doll) Big brother, do you love a woman or man?"

Alvaro: (wipes eyes) No.

"(wearing a white-wedding dress) Honey, do you go to school?"

Alvaro: What the..(continued) Yes.

TAP TAP TAP

The odd man is now wearing glasses over his ski-mask with a red-tie, as he taps on a chalkboard with the text 'Do you have job?' written on it. Meanwhile a light now shines behind the open gate..

Alvaro: (smile) No. (wipes eyes)

"(wearing a top-hat sitting down) Do you have any friends?"

Alvaro: (chuckle). Yes. (wipes eyes)

The odd-man is now sitting in his chair with just his plain-outfit, and a smile on his face..

"(resting chin on both hands) Last question, Alvaro."

Alvaro: (surprised) Oh. Okay.

"What do you desire, Alvaro?"

Alvaro: Desire?

"(points to the open-gate) You haven't passed through that open-gate. So I ask again, what do you truly want?"

Alvaro: Well, I guess happiness for others.

"I see. So you sensed mine was to act silly, correct?"

Alvaro: (holds back of head) Yeah. (wide-smile)

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP

Alvaro: (confused) huh?

The open gate now closes, as the odd-man extends his open left-hand to Alvaro..

"Congratulations Alvaro, you passed Hephaestus' test. (wide smile)"

Alvaro: (continued) Test?

He shakes the odd-man's left-hand with his right-hand repeatedly..

"Yes. The test was to find someone with opposite qualities of those found in Hades. Which you passed with flying colors. Think of it as a bonus trick question in an exam."

Alvaro: Oh. Wait, what would have happened had I gone..

"(interrupting) My name is Kisū. It was a pleasure meeting you Alvaro. Now don't let go of my hand for a couple of seconds, please."

The two hanging lights in the room turn off, letting the darkness cover the entire area once more. Suddenly, a temple with chains and a lock covering the front-door appears from the darkness in front of Alvaro..

Alvaro: (wide eyes) This place. It looks familiar. Why did you bring me here, Kisū?

Kisū: This is your real first-gate, Alvaro.

Alvaro looks in front of him, and notices Kisū the odd-man is no longer there. Instead, he is holding a small black-metal-key..

Alvaro: What the heck? (looks closer) Did you just change into a key?

Kisū: Yes. This is how I am going to help you open the first-gate. However, I must warn you there is a side-effect for using me.

Alvaro: Okay. What is it?

Kisū: You will randomly skip 2 years of your total life-span within a minute. So if it happens when you are 30 at say 4:25 PM, you will be 32 at 4:26 PM the same day.

Alvaro: I see.

Kisū: Do you still wish to continue?

Alvar: Yes.

Kisū: May I ask, why?

Alvaro: (looks at the temple's lock) I originally wanted to free my mother from her Deal with Hades, but I also now feel someone inside here. (smile) I don't know why, but I really want to see this person.

Kisū: Very well. Proceed when you are ready.

He places the black-metal-key inside the lock, and turns it to the left..

Kisū quickly disappears with the lock and chains, and reappears tangible in front of Alvaro with a smile..

Kisū: (smile) Alvaro-sama, I must go now (body slowly vanishing).

Alvaro: Wait, what's happening to you?

Kisū: (continued) It's my consequence for opening 'The Gate of Mind' as a replica key.

Alvaro: (frown) Why didn't you mention that earlier! I would have considered other options had I known that. (looks down)

Kisū: (continued) It's okay. I finally get to complete my desire. (only upper-body remaining)

Alvaro: To open the first-gate?

Kisū: (continued) Yes. Thank you for giving me my greatest happiness. (waves)

Alvaro: (smile) You're welcome, Kisū. (waves)

The odd man has now vanished into the air, as Alvaro pushes the Temple's door open..

Kisū (in the distance): I also forgot how to change back from a key, so I would have been stuck if I told you. (chuckle)

Alvaro: (smile) Hehe.

Alvaro walks inside the temple to find several torches along the walls, and a chain going from a sword on the floor to the ceiling above. After walking around the area, he scratches his head and heads for the exit..

"(yawn) You got here early, kid. (chain rattle) Name's Dissolution."

Alvaro turns around and looks up to see two piercing-red-glowing eyes in the darkness above him..

Next Chapter: Brothers Reunited

Hakken - meaning 'found' in japanese. Kisū - meaning 'odd' in japanese.

Author's Note: I originally wanted to have Kisu say random greek-words, but I had a hard time pronouncing them myself. For that reason, I went with Japanese words since I imagine this story like an anime/manga when writing it.