"We all are concerned with our prince's welfare," said Rathi, trying to appease the beastly man as he shrunk back to his mount. "Lord Narsingh, you would be relieved to hear Lord Kartikeya has sent men in all four directions after our prince. We will have news of Prince Bali sooner or later. We must persist with our journey to save the realm, where your gallantry would be better served."
Narsingh wheeled his horse around, turning to his men. "If we ever ride into great danger, would our prince abandon us?" He shouted his question. His men immediately answered the call with an unmistakable no.
The lion demon turned to face Parasu and Rathi. "We serve our prince, not the realm. We will ride to the Sun temple to search for Prince Bali," said Narsingh, his bearded jaw hard and determined, his golden hair catching the light of the morning sun, giving him a golden halo.
"In that case, we must part ways," Parasu said respectfully, spurring his horse forward. His path was immediately cut off by Narsingh.
"Perhaps my request was not clear. You will come with us," Narsingh announced. The men around them pressed closer on their mounts. It was a command, not a request.
Lord Rathi looked around, puzzled and distressed. "What is the meaning of this? How dare you threaten high officials of a king's court like that?" He demanded, voice growing increasingly shrill.
"Naga Rathi, we have not threatened you…yet." Narsingh touched the hilt of this sword, peeking out of the red scabbard on his waist.
"I assure you, Lord Narsingh, the temple priests will greet us with anything but cordiality," Parasu explained with polite patience. "Another visit there will mean certain captivity. They are fiercely skilled at Tantra."
"You think we are not mighty enough to take on a few holy men?" Veebhi looked offended. He was a himasura, a gigantic snow demon twice the size of Narsingh, with two curved horns poking out of his silver helm. His true form was as massive as a hill. Parasu had only seen it once, when he was still training Bali, and it was both astounding and fearsome to behold.
"I do not doubt that for a minute, Lord Veebhi." Just not clever enough. "But the sacred confines of the Sun Temple strips you of all your powers, martial or spiritual," Parasu argued. He saw the immortals around him trading glances. "Any fight you put up there would be brave but futile."
Narsingh urged his mount closer to Parasu's. "Lord Parasu, last I feared men with sorcery, I was a child of five. It did not end well for them, nor will it end well for these priests you speak of if they fight us." The rumbled warning did not bode well for Parasu.
It was a mad plan to return to the Sun temple, but Parasu did not want to lose his head arguing with the obstinate oaf. The guards watching them sourly from several feet away, by the palace gates, would not raise an alarm if something happened to Parasu. The Adityas did not care if a Suvarna man's blood was spilled on their street.
Parasu petted his horse that was growing impatient under him. "Then, lead the way, my lords," he caved.
"What?!" Naga Rathi was aghast. "My lords, this is a fool's errand. We will be apprehended immediately and thrown into the dungeons," he said, agitated. "Our great king would have to trade his crown in return for all of us. I will not be a part of this."
Narsingh snorted through his thick beard and then wordlessly gestured him toward the road. Naga Rathi jerked the reins, spurring his horse onward, down the alley that opened into the main street. Bali's men parted to let him through. Rathi's horse trotted up to the main street but stopped abruptly.
A column of twenty riders passed before them, sitting tall on their horses, robed in black under steel plate armors. It was the Blackguards of the Kalika regiment, an elite squad of warlocks skilled at both Tantric power and military combat, sworn to protect the Tantric guild.
They were a mix of archers and swordsmen, some carrying double-curved bows on their backs, others with black metal scabbards hanging from their red belts. They slowly marched down the main street under the black and white banner of the Tantric guild, the geometric pattern of a square enclosing a floral drawing. The city bustle halted for several moments, every eye upon the procession, mouths agape.
Parasu, too, watched them in wonder and awe. Across the realm, Blackguards of the Kalika regiment were held in high regard, so much so that even the blustering gang of Bali's men had grown quiet. The centuries-old covert regiment was named after Mother Kali. Parasu had only a few encounters with the blackguards in the past, and each time, his respect for them deepened.
First time was over fifty years ago when they clashed in the Battle of the Sons, across the great Maru desert of the far northwest. They were a worthy adversary if there ever was. Parasu counted himself lucky to have escaped that day with his head still on his shoulder.
And then, twenty years ago, he crossed paths again with the Blackguards, this time in the cold wastes of the polar region of North. They rode side by side under the banner of the confederacy of the ten kings to destroy the immortal Dhruva, who was plotting to steal powers from all the spiritual territories of the OneRealm.
When the Blackguard convoy was gone past, Naga Rathi discreetly turned around his mount and retreated to Parasu's side.
Lord Narsingh offered a low chuckle. "It seems our fearless Naga Rathi is not keen on riding so close to the Blackguards. Does not suit your liking?" He was watching the naga with amusement.
Abashed, Rathi mumbled, "Warlocks, trained in Tantric guild. I would rather have a hundred Pishachas as my travel companions than ride with those blackguards."
Parasu reached out with a pat on Rathi's shoulder. "You are right. They may be too honorable for your taste."
A laughter erupted around them while Naga Rathi sniffed.