Clash of Empires: The Battle for Asia

A mysterious man begins writing their history so it would be remembered for generations. He aims to ensure the memory of the early hero and the rise of Langkasuka is never forgotten. This opening frames Merong Mahawangsa's legend as a grand, enduring saga.

In 120 AD, the Roman Empire under Hadrian expands toward Central Asia and seeks an alliance with the Han Dynasty. The pact is sealed by marrying their prince and princess, uniting East and West. Marcus Carprenius and Meng Li Hua become the symbols of this cross-cultural alliance.

Marcus Carprenius resists being bound by the alliance, longing for personal freedom. Meng Li Hua also desires liberty rather than a life dictated by royal diplomacy. Their mutual yearning for independence foreshadows the adventures to come.

The Roman fleet sails from the Arabian coast toward the peninsula that divides East and West, but a fierce storm wrecks several ships. Survivors wash ashore on the Goa coast, where a Goan dealer introduces them to Merong Mahawangsa, said to be a descendant of Alexander the Great. The meeting marks the beginning of a fateful alliance.

Merong Mahawangsa easily defeats the Garuda warrior Sunder in a duel, proving his formidable fighting skill. Marcus Carprenius is impressed by Merong's prowess, and a tacit respect forms between the two leaders. The stage is set for Merong to escort Marcus toward the peninsula.

After negotiations, Merong agrees to escort Marcus to the peninsula while Lycius, the fleet admiral, returns to Rome with a new fleet. In return, Merong will receive a large ship to explore the known world. The bargain tightens the bond between their forces and destinies.

Merong escorts Marcus to the peninsula and is greeted by Chinese Admiral Liu Yun. Meng Li Hua and her friend Ying Ying decide to run away to start a new life. Marcus and Meng Li Hua grow closer after a river-side conversation, deepening a romance shadowed by political duty.

In the mornings, the pirate nation Garuda makes a fierce assault. Their leader Taji uses black magic to weaken the fleets, and Kamawas abducts Meng Li Hua and Ying Ying for ransom. Marcus attempts to stop Kamawas but is stabbed and falls into the sea, while Merong fights valiantly but is overwhelmed and wounded as his forces are decimated.

Merong is found and treated by tribe leader Kesum and nurse Embok. He learns of a grim history: Kamawas killed the great magician who guarded an immortality amulet, and Embok was once raped by Kamawas. Kesum shares a prophecy that a great warrior will unite the tribes and defeat their enemies, a revelation that rekindles Merong's resolve.

Heeding the prophecy, Merong trains with Kesum and travels among the tribes to unite them. Through leadership and courage, he forms Langkasuka, a single kingdom born from the alliance of diverse tribes. The island-bound peoples begin to see a shared future in a unified realm.

Meng Li Hua and Ying Ying remain captives on Garuda island, yet they seize a fragment of Kamawas’s immortality amulet. Their defiance offers a glimmer of hope for a rescue and for turning the tide against Garuda's domination.

Liu Yun returns with Marcus and a small force to support the assault on Garuda. Merong is gifted a ship loaded with mirrors meant to create a heat-ray-like weapon, but Taji conjures storms to block the sun, threatening the plan's success. The battlefield rests on timing and weather as much as steel.

Merong launches a dawn assault on Garuda with his united fighters, seizing a fragile beachhead. Garuda counters with renewed vigor, and Marcus confronts Kamawas in a fierce duel while Liu Yen falls in the chaos. The tide of battle holds a grim mix of heroism and loss.

A vast allied fleet arrives under Admiral Lycius, tipping the balance against Garuda. Merong confronts Kamawas in a final duel and mortally wounds him; he is stabbed while attempting to kill Taji. In a selfless act, Merong removes the immortality amulet and drives Kamawas’s blade forward, killing both villains as the enemy is crushed.

Years after the great battle, Sultan Mudzafar Shah records Merong’s deeds in the Kedah Annals, ensuring Langkasuka’s fame as a proud kingdom. Merong is celebrated as a hero and remembered as the first king of Langkasuka, his legacy shaping the realm’s future for generations.