The Legend of Silver and Gold Book Two The Old Ones

Charon looked up from the front desk as the entrance opened. He cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you had gotten my message.” He said to the new arrival. “Or if there weren’t any other Old Ones who would be able to arrive.”

The new arrival glared at him with her slit like eyes. “Trust me Charon. If you had summoned one of us for no reason, I would have killed you myself.” She warned him.

Charon smiled. “Nice to see you too Coatlicue.” He said. He wasn’t scared of this Old One. After all, she was as weak as his former boss had been.

The Serpent Skirted One hissed angrily at Charon. She knew that he was mocking her. She pulled her hood back to reveal her scaly snake like head. “Your master isn’t around here anymore to protect you.” She reminded him as she held her left hand out to him. Her hand turned into a snake and wrapped itself around Charon.

Charon disappeared in a puff of black smoke and reappeared beyond Coatlicue’s grip. “He might not be but I did learn a few tricks from him.” He told her. “But let’s get down to business. You’re not here for me after all.” He pointed down the hallway to a large foyer. “Your prey is down there.” He added. “With other guests here.”

Coatlicue turned to the foyer. “Who else is here?” She asked. She thought she was the only one Tempest had sent to get the silver child and her friends.

“Now Coatlicue.” Charon said in what sounded like a disapproving voice. “Did you really think the Old Ones could try to free themselves without the Powerful Ones finding out?” He smiled. “They weren’t about to give your boss the key without negotiating.”

Coatlicue hissed. She had a feeling she knew who Charon was referring to. She marched into the foyer, throwing the doors open. Inside, she saw what looked like several humans sitting around a large U-shaped table. The snakes in her skirt all hissed when she saw the one sitting at the center of the table. He looked like a man in a business suit but she knew who he really was. “Jupiter.” She said in an angry voice.

“Coatlicue.” Jupiter said in a calm voice. “I see you got our invitation.” He gestured to the area inside the U-shaped table. Everyone could see Carver, Molly and Tora tied up together on three chairs. “And that we have the ones you want.”

“What is stopping me from killing all of you and taking them right now?” Coatlicue asked. None of the Powerful Ones replied. Instead, Coatlicue felt cold steel against her back. She twisted her head and saw a man with a golden eye and a blue eye standing there. His curved sword was aimed at her back.

“Try anything and Horus will kill you without hesitation.” Jupiter replied.

Coatlicue turned back to Jupiter and the other Powerful Ones. “Why are you doing this?” She asked. “You know that nothing will stop Tempest and the Old Ones from getting the silver child.”

“Because of Neptune.” Another Powerful One, a woman in a black dress, replied. “He might have been an immortal sorcerer but because he was worshiped as a god like the rest of us, his son is under our protection.” She pointed at Carver. “We’re not about to hand him over to you.”

Coatlicue looked at Carver. “The Old Ones don’t care for the son of Neptune, Hel.” She said. “We just want the silver child.”

“One of the descendants of Artemis?” Another Powerful One, a man in green robes and a golden mask, ask. “Artemis is a Powerful One and I’m sure that not even you would be dumb enough to face her so recklessly.”

Coatlicue looked at the Powerful Ones. “Are you all dumb enough to try to fight the Old Ones?” She asked. “Your time as gods have long passed. The ones who used to worship you are dead. You’re nothing more than myths and legends to the humans.”

“So are you.” Hel pointed out. “Coatlicue, an Aztec goddess. You’re not worshiped anymore. You don’t have all of your power and strength like you once did.”

“Might I remind you though that I am not a Powerful One like you all.” Coatlicue hissed. “I am an Old One!” With that, she exploded into several snakes and slithered towards the Powerful Ones.

Jupiter nodded to Horus.

Horus jumped into the air and turned into a falcon before he swooped down into the large group of snakes. He grabbed one of the snakes right at the neck so it couldn’t bite him. Horus squeezed the snake’s neck, making all of the snakes on the ground stop slithering toward the Powerful Ones and back toward each other. As they reformed Coatlicue, Horus dropped his prisoner.

Reformed, Coatlicue cleared her throat.

“I hope you don’t try anything stupid again.” Jupiter said. “After all, Horus had fought against Apep for so long and I am sure he wouldn’t mind killing you.”

Coatlicue glared at the Powerful Ones. “It looks like we’re at a stalemate.” She said. “You can’t stay in here forever and when you leave, the Old Ones that are already free and their servants will kill you all.” She took a step back. “Call me when you’ve come to your senses and are willing to hand them all over. I will be in my room.” With that, Coatlicue stormed out of the room.

Jupiter leaned back in his seat. That had gone better than he had hoped. “Keep your guards up.” He told the other Powerful Ones. “No doubt Coatlicue’s allies are on their way.” He turned to Hel. “Contact my brother. Tell Hades that we might need an army of the dead.” He knew that Hel wasn’t powerful enough on her own to raise such an army.

“Bast and Sif, take the Silver Child to a secured location but don’t tell anyone where it is.” Jupiter ordered. “Horus, take the other girl back to her room and don’t let her out.”

Carver watched the three Powerful Ones take Tora and Molly away. He turned to Jupiter. “What are you going to do to me?” He demanded. He wasn’t scared of a Powerful One. He had fought his other uncle and Dark Ones alike.

Jupiter waved his hand at the ropes that bound Carver to the chair. The ropes fell to the ground. “I would have a word with you Nephew.” He replied in a serious voice. He held his hand out and a lightning bolt appeared in it. Jupiter struck the ground with his lightning bolt.

Carver watched the room around the two of them change into a large throne room. There were twelve thrones, each one with Greek and Roman letters on them, that formed a U-shape. He turned to Jupiter. To his amazement, the Powerful One was now in robes.

“You look like your father.” Jupiter said. “Not a day goes by where I mourn for my brother.”

Carver frowned. He was not expecting Jupiter to talk about Neptune. “Neptune was an immortal human, not a Powerful One.” He said. “How was he your brother?” After everything that had happened to him, he was open to the idea that the powerful beings behind the mythical gods were real. After all, he was pretty sure he was in Olympus now.

Jupiter smiled. “I see your precious Guardian didn’t tell you the entire truth. Neptune was a Powerful Being, well practiced in the art of water magic. There was little he couldn’t do.” He told his nephew. “When the first Guardian decided to end the evil of the Dark Ones, he chose Neptune to help since the fate of the Powerful Ones was also on the line.”

Carver remembered the legend of the fight against the Dark Ones. “The Guardian said it would take a Golden Child to defeat the Dark Ones.” He told Jupiter.

“And it will take a Silver Child to defeat the Old Ones should they be released from their prison.” Jupiter said in a grave voice. “But only if the Silver Child releases them first.”

Carver frowned. He had never heard of that. “My wife was a Silver Child and yet the Old Ones murdered her without hesitation.” He told Jupiter. “She would never have released them.”

Jupiter sighed in what sounded like an annoyed tone. “Humans.” He said. “So small minded.” He looked at Carver. “They most likely killed her because they knew that she would never do what they want willingly and the Silver Child must be willing to release them. With her death, a new Silver Child, one who hasn’t been taught anything and doesn’t have loyalty to anyone but herself, can easily be used.”

Carver shook his head. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like where this conversation was going. “What about Molly?” He asked. “She’s just a child looking for a home, someplace where she belongs and is actually wanted.” As he said that, Carver realized that Molly didn’t have a home to go back to anymore. Her mother, possibly her only living relative, was dead.

“She will be kept in a secured location under the watchful eyes of the Powerful Ones.” Jupiter replied. “Far from the servants of the Old Ones. No one will ever be able to use her for anything.”

Carver realized he was right. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. He thought of something. “You said she was a descendant of Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the night and moon.” Of course the Silver Child would have a connection to the moon. It was one of the most cliche things he had read in books. “What does Artemis have to say about this?”

Jupiter shifted in his throne. “Artemis will never have a say in this.” He replied. “Not after…” He stopped talking.

“Not after what?” Carver asked. “What aren’t you telling me? Does it have something to do with why the Silver Child is always related to terrible events?” He had always thought that that had something to do with the Dark Ones looking for one to help them fight the Golden Child but now he couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to the legend.

Jupiter wished that he could take back what he had said but it was too late now. “Artemis doesn’t have a say in anything. She hasn’t had a voice since she had been locked away with the rest of the Old Ones where she belongs.” He explained.

Carver was not expecting that. “How does a Powerful One deserve to be locked up with the Old Ones?” He asked. “I get Coatlicue, her being an Old One who was mistaken for a goddess. But Artemis? The Greek goddess of the hunt and of the night? What did she do exactly?” He was confused.

Jupiter shook his head. “Try to keep up with me on this.” He told Carver. “What I’m about to tell you is an ancient truth, one that no one today knows of. Not even the first Guardian or the Dark Ones knew of this truth.” He decided to start his story.

“Long before the Old Ones existed, we’re talking back when the continents you know of today was one giant land, the Powerful Ones were the rulers of this world. The only one who was more powerful than us was Lord Aether, the one who ruled over all. Now then, he had two children, twins. I believe that the humans refer to them as Apollo and Artemis. Apollo was the very first Golden Child and Artemis was the first Silver Child. They were complete opposites in so many ways and yet so very much alike.” Jupiter began.

“Lord Aether knew that he would have to pick one to be his successor for when the time came. It was a hard choice to make. Both of his children had an important role when it came to helping him rule over all. Artemis’s connection to the moon ensured that the shadows of the night were safe to cross and Apollo’s connection to the sun ensured that fires never got out of control. In the end though, Lord Aether chose Apollo, thus Golden Children have always been considered the symbol for all that is good and are destined to usually save the world.” Jupiter explained.

“Artemis took her father’s rejection hard. A lot of us didn’t blame her. Apollo was a bit of, how you would say, airhead. What none of us knew was that Artemis, being the one who controlled the moon light and oversaw all hunting of creatures, had created a new race of species. These creatures were so strange and unusual but it was clear that they were dangerous.” Jupiter stopped talking.

Carver’s heart sank. He had a feeling he knew what Jupiter was saying. “Artemis created the Old Ones.” He said. “The first Silver Child released them all.” He couldn’t believe it. He had always thought that the Silver Children had been misunderstood by the Guardian’s allies. He would have never suspected that the very first Silver Child would have released them.

“It took a Silver Child to seal them all away.” Jupiter told Carver. “The second Silver Child, daughter of Artemis and Hastur, used all of her magic to seal them away and to sink their city back into the water. Artemis was caught with all of the Cthulhu Mythos in the seal spell.”

“That’s why that one Powerful Being said that Coatlicue would be so reckless as to challenge Artemis.” Carver said. It made sense now. Artemis was, in a way, Coatlicue’s mother as well. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Carver shook his head. “Molly isn’t anything like that though.” He told Jupiter. “She’s a lonely kid sure but that’s because her mother didn’t understand her back when she was alive.”

“Still, it’s something that the Powerful Ones aren’t willing to risk.” Jupiter replied before he hit the ground again with his lightning bolt. The scenery changed back into the foyer.

Carver turned to see several Powerful Ones standing there. They were all looking at him. “Let me guess. I’m to be taken back to my room until you have decided what to do with me.” He said.

“It’s for your own good.” Jupiter replied.

Carver glared at his uncle. “If you really wanted that, you wouldn’t have trapped us here.” He told Jupiter before he left the foyer.