In the palace of Kadiri, the capital city of Kedatuan Singhasari, an old man was wrestling with death. Half-conscious, he slouched alone in one of the palace’s bedchambers. The old man was beyond seventy years of age and was stabbed by a keris smeared with deadliest poison in Bhumi Java. However, the death was now on the losing side.
Narendra was a Senapati of Srivijaya. He has battled Srivijayan wars since the reign of the grandfather of Maharaja Sumatrabhumi; made him one of the most experienced soldiers in Srivijayan army. In his young age, his swordsmanship was deemed as the finest in the whole kingdom. Narendra’s best achievement was the triumph over Chaiya about forty years ago, in which gave Srivijaya control over Malay Peninsula.
Three months earlier, Narendra and his army were dispatched to Singhasari to deal with Raden Wijaya’s rebellion. Raden Wijaya was a former king of Singhasari Kingdom, which surrendered to Srivijaya and now become one of its Kedatuans. Srivijaya has paid great price to take over Singhasari with thousands dead though it ended eventually with the marriage between Princess Amretasari—Raden Wijaya’s sister—with Maharaja Sumatrabhumi. Raden Wijaya was then pardoned and he sworn to submit to Srivijaya.
The marriage proved to hold peace only for several years, as Raden Wijaya revolted against Srivijayan administration in Kadiri—the installed Bhupati along with the officers killed—and reoccupied the palace. His stubbornness may contributed to his obliviousness to the fact that his own sister was actually being “held hostage” by Srivijaya.
Under the veteran Senapati command, the rebellion was quenched, though death tolls in both sides were high. Narendra led the attack himself to the palace of Kadiri. He even fought face to face with Raden Wijaya. His expert in swordplay helped him to get the higher ground. But as Raden Wijaya pleaded for mercy, he viciously attacked Narendra with a keris. The keris only inflicted small wound in the Senapati’s wrist, so he still managed to capture the rebel leader and made him captive. The other rebels are killed; the others who love their life enough prisoned.
The battle was won, but the small wound turned out to be not a mere small wound. For several days, Narendra—with the help of local healers—struggled for his life. One of the healer informed him that what he has been suffered was the ferocity of Rakrian Kuti’s poison. Rakrian Kuti is a renowned shaman in Bhumi Java; notorious for his work in creating poisons using black magic.
Narendra had had bad dreams—of wars he had fought, and men he had slain—so he decided not to fall asleep again. He also refused to take any potions from the healers and maintained to mingle with his fever.
One day, a hulubalang from his own host delivered a message from Palembang. From the nervous looks of the hulubalang, Narendra has guessed the message was not a good one. However, the message hit him hard nevertheless: Champa has fallen to Mongol Empire; Narendra was ordered to take the host back to the capital; The Maharaja was assembling armies to retake the Kedatuan.
The Senapati knew a little about the Mongols, but he knew that the next battle is not as easily won as this recent uprising. The Mongol Empire will be a tough opponent, offering a glorious way to die.
It may serve well as my last battle, Narendra thought.
(Continued to Chapter III)
(previous chapter)
