Chulamani had in fact had to retreat northward into temporary exile in Jambi, a vassal of Palembang, leaving Palembang to Dharma Wangsa's army. His Palembangian forces had put up a fierce fight, but Dharma Wangsa's vastly more numerous Javanese army had simply rolled over them. It would take months, maybe even years, for Chulamani to regroup his forces properly, to enlist allies and to mount a credible counter attack from an unfamiliar base. Instead of Palembang invading Amdan Negara, as had been feared by Adhi Vira, the more likely scenario now, he judged, was Palembang requesting for aid from Amdan Negara.
Biduk Bota was not such a close kin of Chulamani anyway, as the usurper was always wont to claim all during his rule in Bukit Panau. He was only a distant, very distant relative. He was never officially appointed to the governorship by Chulamani either. It was Biduk Bota who had installed himself, then proclaimed to all and sundry his purported formal endorsement from the maharaja, using a fake letter of approval, complete with Chulamani's royal insignia and all, to lend credence to his false claims. On top of that, Biduk Bota had constantly been causing problems to Palembang in terms of image and reputation.
Biduk Bota's greed for wealth had driven him to impose punishingly high taxes on trading and transport of goods as well as income and travel of people. He also liked to ally himself with pirates, robbers and brigands, who gave him support and paid him a share of their loot in return for his patronage. Even worse, he and his men harrassed and attacked the local women at their every whim. All of that had only served to fuel the people's hate and anger against his rule.
What was more important, to Chulamani as high king of the Great Federation of Sri Vijaya, was that whoever led any vassal province as Narapati should have the aceptance and loyalty of the local people. Besides submitting to his overlordship and not thinking of challenging him, of course. Therefore, to Chulamani, it might even be more viable for an heir of the Dharma Kusuma Dynasty to be Narapati. If the man had credibility and leadership, then so much the better, because he would bring peace and stability, vital factors needed to keep the Federation thriving. Especially in the current challenging situation facing Palembang.
While Palembang, the very centre of Sri Vijaya itself, continued to be threatened and assailed by their long time Javanese rivals Medang Mataram. But Dharma Wangsa had underestimated the power and resilience of Sri Vijaya. He did not fully understand how the vast maritime federation worked. For his own agrarian Javanese kingdom, powerful enough to have defeated the Palembangian army on its own turf, a land victory had meant everything.
Quite on the contrary, however, the mere physical capture of Palembang the capital city alone did not mean the conquest of Sri Vijaya. The Federation had several other regional capitals, in Sumatra as well as the Golden Peninsula, each with its own sizeable army. Chulamani could still function as high king and rule over the Federation from any of them. While Palembang's versatile soldiers could still fight a formidable naval battle, something in which Mataram's forces had not been fully tested. As long as Sri Vijaya's vassal provinces remained loyal to Palembang, Chulamani could possibly hang on to his power for quite a while yet.
§
Dharma Wangsa had an old axe to grind with Palembang. The man was obsessed with avenging all those past injuries and humilations that Sri Vijaya's co-Buddhist ally Sailendra had ever inflicted on his dynastic ancestors, during the time of Sailendra's primacy in Java. Not even Rakai Pikatan's crushing defeat of the army of his young brother in law Balaputra, the last prince of Sailendra in Java, and later on Mpu Sindok's jungle massacre of invading Sri Vijayan forces at Anjuk Ladang, could seemingly slake Dharma Wangsa's lunatic thirst for ancient vengeance. Or at least that was what Chulamani believed.
Chulamani was not averse to a vast climbdown from his lofty Sri Vijayan imperial perch and a peace deal with Mataram. He could even countenance sharing the seas around the Sunda Straits with rival kingdom Mataram, accepting and acknowledging Mataram's newfound enthusiasm for maritime commerce. But Dharma Wangsa seemed incurably bent on the total subjugation of Palembang. It made Chulamani wonder if someone somewhere was slyly feeding vile venom into Dharma Wangsa's excessively chauvinistic Javanese heart.
Chulamani had reported Mataram's attacks on Palembang's territories to Emperor Tai Zong of Song China. His hope was that the emperor could wield his influence on both sides to forge some semblance of peace between Palembang and Mataram. Ironicallly, he found out later that Mataram itself had made its own reports of confrontation between Palembang and Mataram. The wily Dharma Wangsa, however, did not reveal to Tai Zong that Mataram was indeed the initiator of the conflicts with Palembang.
The latest developments in Suvarna Bhumi, the Golden Continent, were also weighing substantially on Chulamani's mind. The aging Maharaja Jaya Varman V was on his last years, maybe months, on the throne of Angkor. The ambitious Sujita Raja, king of close Sri Vijayan ally Nagara Sri Dharmaraja and Chulamani's own half brother, now also Maha Senapati of the Angkorian army, would surely a be a hot contestant for the throne when it became vacant.
With his mother Chandra Lakshmi an elder sister of Jaya Varman, and his cousin wife Jaya Lakshmi a niece of the maharaja by another sister, Sujita Raja's claim would be strong by Angkor's matrilineal traditions, but that did not mean that there would not be other competing claimants, each with his own personal cabal of counsellors and advisers, as there had always been on any Angkorian emperor's demise. A bruising power struggle amid plenty of intrigue, plotting and conspiracy among close kith and kin had always been par for the course.
Any fight for the Angkorian throne in the immediate future would be a bone-crunching one. It would drag in multiple factions and alliances, each led by its own fiercely combative prince warlord. It would hold the substantial risk of spilling over, via Nagara Sri Dharmaraja, into Palembang's Sri Vijayan holdings in the lands of the Langkasukan Federation, in the northern parts of the Golden Peninsula. But if Sujita Raja were to request Chulamani for support, Chulamani would be hard pressed to decline.
The man's position was growing stronger by the day. If someone looked like he was going to be in a position of great power, the best time to gain his goodwill is when he is still on the way up, and certainly well before he had reached his pinnacle. And Sujita Raja had only recently been appointed, by Jaya Varman himself, to the hotly coveted post of Senapati of the Angkorian army. Even in the current turmoil surrounding Palembang, Chulamani would scrape the proverbial barrel and muster a credible fighting force to send to Sujita Raja's capital, Tambra Linga. Besides close familial ties, an Angkorian federation under the control of Chulamani's own half brother would definitely be in Palembang's interests.
§
Then Chulamani thought of Amdan Negara. That small province on the north-east of the Golden Peninsula, on the southern fringes of the Langkasukan Federation. He had more or less forgotten about that backwater of a place, until the time he heard of the local rag-tag rebel army's spectacular destruction of the forces of Palembangian pirate chieftain turned self-appointed narapati Biduk Bota. Apparently, their leader Adhi Vira, a scion of some vague ancient local dynasty in exile whose name Chulamani had even forgotten, had managed to raise a credible fighting force.
He would have to make a special effort to get to know that man, Chulamani considered. Adhi Vira's rebel soldiers, rag-tag or otherwise, had proven themselves beyond any shadow of a doubt. He would rather have Adhi Vira as an ally than an enemy now. And if Sujita Raja had heard of the man's feat in Bukit Panau, surely the king of Nagara Sri Dharmaraja would feel the same way too.
While to the north of Sumatra itself, Chulamani had other concerns. His advisers had alerted him to a possible renewed threat from the rapidly growing political power of Islam, that mysterious new faith brought there by merchants from Persia and Arabia that was now attracting converts to it in droves. The old kingdom of Perlak had in fact formally adopted Islam as the new official faith of the kingdom. But later, intra-religious differences in fundamental theological doctrine had driven it to split into two separate Perlakian kingdoms, Perlak by the Sea and Perlak in the Interior.
The opportunistic Chulamani had exploited that political fissure to the full. He had sent his Palembangian army to invade and conquer them both. That was two years before. He had a two pronged objective then: to check the spread of that new faith, and to command the burgeoning trade flourishing in the two kingdoms with those Muslim merchants from West Asia. Now, however, the Perlakians had set aside their differences and reunited under the leadership of Sultan Makhdum Alaiddin Malik Ibrahim Shah Johan Berdaulat, the Sunni Muslim ruler of Perlak in the Interior, to fight against Buddhist Palembangian conquest and occupation of their Perlakian heartland.
It was Chulamani's preoccupation with Alaiddin Malik and his Perlakians that had eventually led to the defeat of Palembang by Mataram. The great bulk of Chulamani's army had been sent to Perlak to stem the now united kingdom's rising groundswell of rebellion. That had severely weakened Palembang's own home defences, leaving its rear open and exposed to an attack from the east. Dharma Wangsa saw his chance and pounced on it.
It was Chulamani's preoccupation with Alaiddin Malik and his Perlakians that had eventually led to the defeat of Palembang by Mataram. The great bulk of Chulamani's army had been sent to Perlak to stem the now united kingdom's rising groundswell of rebellion. That had severely weakened Palembang's own home defences, leaving its rear open and exposed to an attack from the east. Dharma Wangsa saw his chance and pounced on it.
Darn those turban wearing merchants from Arabia and Persia with their strange ways and even stranger tongues, Chulamani reflected. He feared their faith. Despite the stringence of its rules, or perhaps rather because of them, it seemed to possess a frighteningly persuasive kind of allure. One so powerful that it had indeed succeeded in attracting a couple of his ancient ancestors, Jambi-based Sri Indra Varman and his son and successor Indra Vikraman, to its fold three centuries before.
Sri Indra Varman's father Lokita Varman was the one who had first flirted with Islam, engaging in friendly political correspondence with Caliph Muawiyah. The caliph had continuously urged Lokita Varman, in his letters, to embrace the faith, but Lokita Varman remained non-committal to the end. Sri Indra Varman, however, converted later and married a beautiful mixed blood Sumatran-Arab Muslim woman, daughter of a wealthy and powerful Arab merchant, during the time of the Omayyad caliph, Omar Abd-ul-Aziz. His first son from a royal Jambian mother, Indra Vikraman, followed precisely in Sri Indra Varman's footsteps. But neither Sri Indra Varman nor Indra Vikraman ever pushed their faith onto their subjects, apart from a select circle of close friends.
Sri Indra Varman's father Lokita Varman was the one who had first flirted with Islam, engaging in friendly political correspondence with Caliph Muawiyah. The caliph had continuously urged Lokita Varman, in his letters, to embrace the faith, but Lokita Varman remained non-committal to the end. Sri Indra Varman, however, converted later and married a beautiful mixed blood Sumatran-Arab Muslim woman, daughter of a wealthy and powerful Arab merchant, during the time of the Omayyad caliph, Omar Abd-ul-Aziz. His first son from a royal Jambian mother, Indra Vikraman, followed precisely in Sri Indra Varman's footsteps. But neither Sri Indra Varman nor Indra Vikraman ever pushed their faith onto their subjects, apart from a select circle of close friends.
Indra Vikraman's Palembangian cousin Dharmasethu, a ruthless strategist with big ambitions, smelled both threat and opportunity. Exploiting his own position as Captain of the Imperial Guard cum Senapati of the Sri Vijayan Army, and close family links with the kingdom of Sailendra, the Buddhist bastion of his maternal ancestors in southern-central Java, Dharmasethu moved fast but with deadly stealth. Working silently and invisibly from behind the shadows, co-opting allies from among the more well entrenched Buddhist Chinese and Hindu Indian merchant communities in Palembang who were both only too happy to cooperate, Dharmasethu engineered Indra Vikraman's assassination, then manoeuvred himself onto the throne of Palembang, thereby also installing himself the new high king of the Sri Vijayan Federation. Thus had ended, rather prematurely and tragically, what had been Islam's short-lived first incursion into Suvarna Dvipa, the Golden Islands.
Now, was there going to be another one, a longer one, Chulamani wondered. Over his dead body, he decided. He would take his cue from decisive Dharmasethu rather than languid Lokita Varman, Chulamani contemplated. But the situation was far different now, he reflected again. Unlike Dharmasethu, who had only one lone wolf royal renegade to handle, Chulamani now had to deal with two kingdoms merged into one led by a powerful and highly motivated king. Could it already be too late for him to stem the tide?
Adhi Vira's long quest to wrest back his family's ancestral home, Dharma Kusuma Palace, and oust Amdan Negara's foreign occupiers was thus secured. Various other problems plaguing Maharaja Chulamani, his Palembang kingdom and the entire Sri Vijayan Federation under his rule meant that the Sumatran high king now had neither the strength, nor the will, nor even the wish to roll back Adhi Vira's victory in Bukit Panau.
Thus Dharma Kusuma Palace, dynastic seat and symbol of pride of the Dharma Kusuma Dynasty for many generations, was finally returned to its rightful owners, after two centuries of them and their ancestors struggling in the political wilderness. Except only in name and form. For Adhi Vira had decided against proclaiming a unilateral declaration of independence. Amdan Negara under him would still remain a vassal-ally of Palembang, and would still pay annual tribute to Palembang, until such a time when a suitable opportunity presented itself.
§
Prabhava, Pinang Jingga and Buluh Padu all took the sea route around the Golden Peninsula all the way to Sumatra. They avoided side-tracking up the Pahang River and taking the half prasanga Drag Route by land to Muar River, then going down that river all the way to the rivermouth in the Saberkas Straits. It would have been a much shorter route, and it was favoured by many travellers going back and forth between Sumatra and the east coast of the Golden Peninsula. But it would have meant a greater chance of meeting someone from Sumatra on the way, and they did not want that to happen.
When they reached Kota Tinggi in the south of the Peninsula, however, they heard from travellers about Palembang's fate, and Chulamani's retreat to Jambi. That meant that there would not likely be any immediate threat to Amdan Negara by Palembang. After discussing between themselves, they decided to proceed to Jambi, which they would have passed on their way to Palembang anyway.
The situation in Jambi seemed normal and calm, without any sign of any threat from Dharma Wangsa's Mataram army now stationed in Palembang, a week's march to the south. There was no rumour or gossip of any impending attack on Jambi by Mataram either. On the contrary, certain sections among the local people were in fact exchanging juicy stories they had heard from travellers to Jambi about the Dharma Kusuma Army's spectacular rout of Governor Biduk Bota's occupation army in Bukit Panau.
They were especially impressed with Adhi Vira's battle strategy and execution. His bravado in accepting Biduk Bota's post-battle challenge to a winner-take-all five match series of individual combats, then handing Biduk Bota's side a complete whitewash, sprouted new warrior legend.
The first letter of friendship to Maharaja Chulamani was duly sent to his temporary palace in exile on the far edges of Jambi kingdom. Despite his army's defeat in Palembang, the rest of Chulamani's Sri Vijayan holdings were still largely intact, and the man was still someone to be reckoned with. It would not be wise to display rudeness or arrogance toward him. Like it or not, there had to be some indication of respect. For the time being, Amdan Negara would remain vassal to Palembang via the Sri Vijayan Federation and keep paying tribute to Palembang. Complete independence would still have to wait.
There was some fortuitous benefit though. Chulamani, especially in his new predicament, now saw Amdan Negara in a new light. There was no doubting that small kingdom's newfound strength. Like a champion spelek prizefighter, it packed a punch way above its weight. It had to be more than just another vassal for Palembang. It would be a special ally that would be worthy of special respect. Because Palembang might have need for its support one day.
When they reached Kota Tinggi in the south of the Peninsula, however, they heard from travellers about Palembang's fate, and Chulamani's retreat to Jambi. That meant that there would not likely be any immediate threat to Amdan Negara by Palembang. After discussing between themselves, they decided to proceed to Jambi, which they would have passed on their way to Palembang anyway.
The situation in Jambi seemed normal and calm, without any sign of any threat from Dharma Wangsa's Mataram army now stationed in Palembang, a week's march to the south. There was no rumour or gossip of any impending attack on Jambi by Mataram either. On the contrary, certain sections among the local people were in fact exchanging juicy stories they had heard from travellers to Jambi about the Dharma Kusuma Army's spectacular rout of Governor Biduk Bota's occupation army in Bukit Panau.
They were especially impressed with Adhi Vira's battle strategy and execution. His bravado in accepting Biduk Bota's post-battle challenge to a winner-take-all five match series of individual combats, then handing Biduk Bota's side a complete whitewash, sprouted new warrior legend.
The first letter of friendship to Maharaja Chulamani was duly sent to his temporary palace in exile on the far edges of Jambi kingdom. Despite his army's defeat in Palembang, the rest of Chulamani's Sri Vijayan holdings were still largely intact, and the man was still someone to be reckoned with. It would not be wise to display rudeness or arrogance toward him. Like it or not, there had to be some indication of respect. For the time being, Amdan Negara would remain vassal to Palembang via the Sri Vijayan Federation and keep paying tribute to Palembang. Complete independence would still have to wait.
There was some fortuitous benefit though. Chulamani, especially in his new predicament, now saw Amdan Negara in a new light. There was no doubting that small kingdom's newfound strength. Like a champion spelek prizefighter, it packed a punch way above its weight. It had to be more than just another vassal for Palembang. It would be a special ally that would be worthy of special respect. Because Palembang might have need for its support one day.
A strapping giant Amdan Negara is not;
No match would it be for its Palembang overlord;
A tiny cat meowing beside a fearsome tiger;
A wee robin warbling by a formidable hawk;
A puny goat bleating near a mighty elephant;
Do accept our humble tribute;
For friendship, peace and mutual good.
Between our folks and those of Palembang;
We're sprung of one source; two tribes kindred;
One shoot, one root, one cluster, one mother;
Both are Mala; so small the difference;
We're Mountain Mala; you're Island Mala;
Don't we two be foes forever;
Why, we could both together prosper.
But the maharaja was a prudent man. Not for him to indulge in some petty grievance which would bring no great benefit to Palembang and the pan-archipelagic Sri Vijayan Federation it still led as helm kingdom. As soon as Adhi Vira's letter of peace was responded to with a correspondingly polite letter of acceptance, Junior Commander Pinang Jingga was sent on his way to Chulamani as an envoy of peace and friendship. Accompanied by thirty handpicked fighters nevertheless, bringing a modest shipload of gifts, silver and gold to Chulamani.
"Don't you dare forget, Pinang Jingga," Adhi Vira reminded. Prabhava had duly sent him a letter to update him on Palembang's conquest by Mataram, and Adhi Vira had decided to throw his weight behind Chulamani. "Tell Sri Maharaja that we shall always consider Palembang our big brother, and that Amdan Negara will always be one of Palembang's little brothers. We shall be there for Palembang if we're ever needed. If at any time Palembang requires it, we shall be most glad to send a strong enough force to aid our brother."
What a timely offer that was for Chulamani. Pinang Jingga's delegation was received with honour and respect deserving by Maharaja Chulamani. The wealthy high king reciprocated with gifts exceeding in quality and measure for Adhi Vira.
The immediate temptation for Adhi Vira would have been to abandon Chulamani to his own fate. Why even bother at all helping one's weakened overlord whom one was seeking to gain independence from? But Chulamani was wealthy, had many allies and still possessed formidable resources with which he could muster a strong fightback. What if Chulamani survived Mataram's conquest of Palembang, recovered from his defeat and managed to beat back Mataram's occupying army from his Palembang kingdom?
It would have been a golden opportunity missed to earn special goodwill from Chulamani, Adhi Vira considered. On the other hand, even if Chulamani were to be defeated again by Dharma Wangsa, if Adhi Vira backed Chulamani then he would still remain a valuable ally for Amdan Negara, Adhi Vira pondered. Adhi Vira did not need to risk all that much anyway. All he had to do was offer the beleaguered maharaja friendship, loyalty and a token support force in his hour of need.
Meanwhile, Adhi Vira continued to grow and strengthen his Dharma Kusuma Army, and made sure to keep it always battle ready. Like the folks said, calamity had no smell, and a dangerous enemy could not always be seen easily. If a kingdom as powerful as Palembang could be defeated and conquered in a surprise attack, then all the more so one as small and vulnerable as Amdan Negara.
§
For two centuries the kingdom of Perlak had prospered as a port province. Its abundant supply of natural resources, along with its ideal position facing the westernmost entry point into the Saberkas Straits, made it a favourite destination among merchants from Arabia and Persia now arriving in droves into Sumatra, the main island in Suvarna Dvipa, the Golden Islands. The Arabs had taken to calling it Serendib, their rendition of Suvarn Dvip, the contracted form of Suvarna Dvipa which they had heard being used by some of their Indian friends.
Unfortunately, intense rivalries between adherents of the two major factions of the faith, Shiah and Sunnah, had ended up splitting Perlak into two separate kingdoms, Perlak by the Sea and Perlak of the Interior, each with its own king.
Now, for two years both kingdoms had been subjugated by Palembang, long time champion and chief defender of Mahayana Buddhism. Incorporated by force into the Great Federation of Palembang Sri Vijaya. Maharaja Chulamani had to station a sizeable Palembangian garrison in each kingdom to keep order and prevent rebellion.
Then, Palembang was invaded and defeated by Mataram, whose king Dharma Wangsa Tguh Ananta Wikrama Dewa had seen the Palembangian army stretched thin to cover the entirety of its sprawling empire. Chulamani had to withdraw his garrison forces from both Perlak by the Sea and Perlak of the Interior to oust the Mataram army, which had occupied Palembang.
The two Perlakian kingdoms reunited under Sultan Makhdum Alaiddin Ibrahim Shah Johan Berdaulat, the Sunni king of Perlak of the Interior. They had no choice. It was the only way they could defeat Palembang and regain their independence.
§
Relations with Palembang had been renewed and put on a firmer footing. The possibility of a retaliation by Palembang had been assessed, then evaluated as unlikely. But still, Amdan Negara could not take any chances. It could not afford to be caught off guard. A surprise attack from somewhere could still never be ruled out, so had to be prepared for. While the opportunity for widening Amdan Negara's circle of allies had to be exploited. After some discussion, Prabhava as the seniormost lieutenant of Adhi Vira in the expedition made the final decision on the next course of action.
Prabhava would return home to help Adhi Vira in consolidating the defence and security of Amdan Negara. While Nibung Ulung, Pinang Jingga and Buluh Padu would proceed to Perlak to pay a friendship visit, on Adhi Vira's behalf, to Sultan Makhdum Alaiddin Ibrahim.
There were several strategic reasons for the visit. Foremost, Perlak and Amdan Negara both had similar histories as vassals of Palembang, therefore could share precious experiences with each other. Of particular importance, Perlak's resounding success in freeing itself from the clutches of Palembangian hegemony made it an excellent role model of liberation that Amdan Negara simply had to learn from. Especially in the event of a future conflict between Amdan Negara and Palembang.
While Perlak itself, as a newly sovereign entity, would themselves naturally also be reaching out to new allies. That Perlak was also rapidly emerging as a new bustling trade centre popular with the Arabs and the Persians, who were themselves the rising stars of the mercantile world, made a commercial relationship with Perlak something that just had to be pursued by Amdan Negara. It was also decided that, if circumstances were favourable, a second bigger follow-up expedition would be made.
§
The expedition to Perlak was received with the grandest of welcomes by Sultan Makhdum Alaiddin Ibrahim. He had heard, from merchants visiting Perlak who had travelled to the Langkasukan lands, of the remarkable exploits of the prince warrior Adhi Vira and his Dharma Kusuma Army, especially the trouncing they gave to the long despised Palembangian governor of Amdan Negara, Biduk Bota, and his occupier army. The way Adhi Vira had gone head to head with Biduk Bota in a no-holds-barred bladefight, then completely destroyed him in a duel without arms, had impressed the Perlakian sultan beyond measure. For Biduk Bota had been a warrior famed and feared beyond compare in all Sumatra in his time. Alaiddin had then sent his scouts over to verify the stories told to him, and also to learn everything else they could about that province of the Sri Vijayan federation.
Based on the knowledge he had so gathered, the sultan had wanted to send a thousand young soldiers from Perlak to Amdan Negara, to be trained under the tutelage of Adhi Vira, to further beef up the capabilities of the Perlakian army. Being Sumatrans, and warriors to boot too, they were already quite well versed in silat, the native fighting style of the Golden Islands. But Alaiddin Ibrahim wanted them to also learn spelek, kalari payattu, pradal serey and a few other combat arts that he had been told Adhi Vira and his men could teach. When a trio of junior commanders from Amdan Negara had one day turned up in his court all out of the blue, seeking a treaty of friendship between Perlak and Amdan Negara, it just felt to him like something out of a dream.
Alaiddin's request was quickly relayed to Adhi Vira by Nibung Ulung in his capacity as chief envoy. Adhi Vira responded in the most favourable way, one which would give mutual benefit to both sides. He would accept the request of the Perlakian sultan for him to train a thousand Perlakian soldiers, but they had to pledge allegiance to Amdan Negara for the tenure of their traineeship, effectively making them soldiers of the Dharma Kusuma Army during their stay in Amdan Negara. Thus, in one fell swoop, Adhi Vira secured precious goodwill from a new friend heading an increasingly formidable emerging power in northern Sumatra, while at the same time expanding the strength of his Dharma Kusuma Army by almost threefold.
In return, Nibung Ulung, Pinang Jingga and Buluh Padu would remain in Perlak for two years, with the possibility of a further extension, to train the rest of Alaiddin's Perlakian army in accordance with his requirements. Adhi Vira would also consider sending over more young trainers of competent calibre, possibly fifty in all, to Perlak. All of them would serve as trainers during peacetime, while they would fight for Perlak as regular soldiers in times of battle. It would provide an excellent platform to Adhi Vira for blooding new talented young warriors from among his own home grown warrior academy and give them valuable experience. Dani, Sulung, Andak, Abu and Busu would be at the top of his list.
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