JAYABAYA: The Journey of Being a Legend
Storms Amidst Happiness (part 1)

"Company, tell me..

How is Ki Mertalaya's preparation in Kotaraja? Has it been prepared all?", asked the middle-aged man with the thick-floated sign to Madangkungan, one of the thick-headed men who came from inside the city.

"It's done, Ki Demung..

We will enter the Katang-katang Palace by disguising as a porters of gift items Ki Mertalaya. So we do not need to bother anymore to find another way to enter the palace", Madangkungan replied immediately. The thick-floated, plontos-headed man called Ki Demung immediately smiled widely.

Yes, he is Ki Demung Gombang, one of the Jenggala soldier officers who was assigned to infiltrate into the territory of the Kingdom of Panjalu. This direct task was given by Prince Jayengofficial, the companion of Maharani Uttejana. In the order, Ki Demung Gombang was assigned to destabilize Kotaraja Daha by killing Prince Mapanji Jayabaya who had just returned from his abduction period. Mapanji Jayabaya has been considered a major threat candidate for the Kingdom of Jenggala because their spies have learned that Mapanji Jayabaya is Jaka Umbaran, the young warrior who has just stirred the martial world by becoming the regulator of the central region as well as the youngest in the history of the martial world. If until Mapanji Jayabaya develops more powerful, it is certain that the grand plan of Maharani Uttejana who inherited the great ambition of the predecessor kings of Jenggala to unite the two kingdoms will fail.

Demung Gombang himself is actually not a new person in the martial world. Before becoming an officer of Jenggala soldiers, he had been unfortunate in the martial world of Jawadwipa Land eastern region as a black warrior from Mount Bromo. His own nickname is enough to make the swordsmen shudder in horror if they face him, the Demon Boxing Swordsman.

That said, Demung Gombang once slaughtered one village at the foot of Mount Bromo who once insulted him while still a citizen of his. He apparently held a grudge for the humiliation and made the village a flood of blood overnight.

After that incident, the name of the Devil Boxing Swordsman was immediately famous throughout the Kingdom of Jenggala to Blambangan. Because of this heinous act, Gombang then became a fugitive government of the Kingdom of Jenggala. His arrest attempt was arranged by Prince Jayengofficial, a prince from Blambangan who was trying to attract the attention of Princess Uttejana. By the princess, Prince Jayengofficial asked to hunt down the perpetrators of mass murder in the area of the Duchy of Lamajang as a condition to marry her. Therefore, as powerful as Prince Jayengofficial hunt Gombang to the region of Dinoyo.

With the help of some master swordsmen from Blambangan, Gombang succeeded in summing up. The fugitive was then taken to Kotaraja Kahuripan to be handed over to Princess Uttejana who at that time began to control the Kingdom of Jenggala after the illness of Emperor Samarotsaha.

Instead of being sentenced to death for his mistakes, Gombang was instead offered to become a covert soldier who was smuggled into Panjalu as a pardon for all the crimes he committed. His main task is to create chaos in the Kingdom of Panjalu but in an underground movement. Of course this offer was not rejected by Gombang who then built a secret headquarters in the forest area west of Kali Aksa, precisely on the eastern slopes of Mount Kelud. The dense forest called Alas Complang which is very remote, is far from the patrols of the soldiers of the Kingdom of Panjalu.

A few days after the return of Prince Mapanji Jayabaya, he got a task from Prince Jayengofficial after receiving news from Nyai Pu Karti Si Kembang Roses Poisonous which is also one of Jenggala's code telik. Together with the beautiful woman, they then devised a plan to kill Prince Mapanji Jayabaya.

Of course this plan also involved Ki Mertalaya who could go in and out of the palace by disguising himself as a cloth merchant. At first they were confused because Mapanji Jayabaya suddenly disappeared from Kotaraja Daha. But the opportunity they were waiting for apparently came also after Madangkungan and Kowor. Demung Gombang was eager to carry out the task he carried.

From the other direction, Nyai Pu Karti and some of his followers came to the place. Among them, there was a short-bodied old man with a distended stomach holding an iron rod with a carving of a human skull and a woman who was his age, large-bodied with menor makeup and always carry a rice basket containing various kinds of market snacks. Everyone in the eastern Jawadwipa Land martial world knows the two old men who are famous as a Pair of Strange Devils from the East.

"You came in time, Nyai Pu Karti..

Later after the night began to fall, we must immediately rush towards the residence Ki Mertalaya. We have to change appearances to be able to enter the Katang-katang Palace" Demung Gombang said immediately.

"I don't want to change clothes!

This is my favorite shirt so even to death I do not want to change", said the woman of the kingbrot's body ketus.

"But this is for Nyai Puspa's disguise..

If we stay in the initial clothes, we will be caught by the soldiers of Panjalu" Nyai Pu Karti said with a long sigh.

"I don't care..

The initial agreement, Surenggati Kakang and I only helped you to kill that Daha Prince. There is no agreement on changing makeup. If you want to force us a Pair of Weird Devils from the East, we will not hesitate to finish you all off" said the woman in her bully with the makeup of the menor while glancing at the club.

"You .."

"Hold your anger, Demung Gombang. Our goal is only to take the life of Mapanji Jayabaya, there is no need for disputes between us. Our previous plan needed to be slightly changed in order to walk as it should be", Nyai Pu Karti cut them off.

"Huhhhh, this time I gave up..

But if the two of you mess up in our planning, I will never back down a bit to fight it out against you" Demung Gombang said as he stepped away from a Pair of Strange Devils from the East.

While the Jenggala coders were busy arranging their plans to mess up in the wedding of Jaka Umbaran, Katang-katang Palace which became the venue for the big event was held, was busy with all its preparations.

While the Lowo Bengi Special Forces, spread throughout the Kotaraja Daha region. They disguised themselves as beggars, traders, drunks and gamblers to dig into every possible news. In addition, the army led by Tumenggung Dananjaya, who was the leader of the Panjalu password team, also placed several sharpshooter at several important points inside and outside the Katang-katang Palace. In short, hidden and layered security is prepared by Rakryan Rangga Mapanji Amaraha as Mahamantri of military affairs.

Gendol, Besur, Baratwaja and Resi Simharaja continued to take turns to look after the young prince. When it was finished, the others replaced it immediately.

By night, the atmosphere of Katang-katang Palace still looks crowded. The stage decorators who will be mahligai pelaminan Jaka Umbaran and Nararya Padmadewi are seen still busy adding yellow janur ornaments on the mahligai pole. While the palace ladies are also busy arranging the flowers that will be used to sprinkle the bride's path to the pelaminan.

Some of the palace priests under the direction of Dharmadyaksa ring Kasaiwan Mpu Panca, continued to cast spells of worship against Hyang Akarya Jagat in several places. The thick smoke of the handlebars and the fragrant frankincense filled the entire place.

"Prince Wrestling, groggy no?", Besur poked the arm of Jaka Umbaran who was seen walking around Katang-katang Palace to monitor the progress of his wedding preparations.

"Why should you be groggy, Sur?

Marriage is an obligation, ready not to be done. So what to fear?", Jaka Umbaran aka Prince Mapanji Jayabaya smiled knot.

"Lha wong was married, but I didn't see him. Is Gusti Prince Mapanji Jayabaya not worried that the woman who was betrothed to Gusti Pangeran is ugly? If until so, amit-amit jabang baby deh.", Besur shuddered amusedly imagine it.

"You don't have to worry about that, Sur..

I believe in the choice of Kanjeng Romo Prabu. My feelings are never wrong", replied Jaka Umbaran with a meaningful smile.

"Heleh, instead of disbelieving Godi Prince..

Just worried that Gusti Prince Mapanji Jayabaya will be disappointed in the end" said Besur sok sage.

"You take it easy Sur, I will not be disappointed" said Jaka Umbaran as he continued his steps to check the work of the servants of Katang-katang Palace.

Time just keeps passing by so fast. The night was quickly replaced by the morning which began to appear in the eastern sky horizon with a tinge of orange filling it with sky.

On that blind morning, the servants of Katang-katang Palace had been busy with their respective work. The one in the palace kitchen, busy preparing food while others arrange all the needs used for the wedding between Jaka Umbaran aka Prince Mapanji Jayabaya with Nararya Padmadewi. As the sun rose to the sky, invited guests and friends from Galuh Pakuan began to fill the space provided. It did not take long, the courtyard of Katang-katang Palace was already full of the presence of invited guests.

Senopati Naratama rushed to Jaka Umbaran who was about to dress up as a bride. The leader of the Garuda Panjalu Squad immediately whispered something in the young prince's ear.

"They have entered the palace, Gusti Prince. They disguised themselves as pelvis goods Ki Mertalaya, a cloth master who used to send goods to the palace. Hows it? Still we continue this event?", whispered Senopati Naratama immediately.

"If we suddenly stop this event, they will suspect Uncle Senopati. Keep going, but do not let slack supervision of them", replied Jaka Umbaran crazily.

Jaka Umbaran dressed as a noble. As a Yuwaraja of Panjalu, he wore a crown of his greatness bearing a blue jewel. Even without wearing clothes, gold jewelry adorning his neck, shoulders and arms is a sign that he is a noble. Knee-length batik motif pullcloth looks harmonious with black trousers decorated with gold thread embroidery. Also the dark blue scarf that adorns his waist looks harmonious with an heirloom keris tucked in the waist. Flanked by two priests and four sisters, Mapanji Jayabaya stepped towards the village. The palace ladies who stood on the left and right of the road, continued to sow various flowers in the way of the crown prince.

Prince Rakeyan Jayagiri who is pangling with the change of makeup Mapanji Jayabaya, seems to frown deeply because he feels familiar with the figure of a handsome man who is now walking closer to pelaminan.

"It seems that I am no stranger to this young man, but who?", murmured Prince Mapanji Jayagiri downstream.

But it is different with Nararya Padmadewi. Beautiful women who initially look lethargic and have no spirit to live in the pelaminan, immediately sumringah once saw the figure that came towards the pelaminan. He stood up from his seat and said,

"Akang Umbaran's...

You're here to take me away?"