Manithan Vaanam

After a night of dreams and one pangolin, the party spends the day relaxing and preparing for their meeting with Alagan. Once the sun starts to set, they make their way to A Sweet Neera, and form a plan: Bhavannan stays outside the tavern with the infant twins while the rest of the party goes inside to talk to Alagan and make sense of his character. Aadhi, Nila, and Shwari go inside and grab a table; Shwari and Nila concoct a scheme after seeing that the VIP area upstairs is guarded. The two go to the bathroom, Nila shapeshifts into a mouse, and Shwari takes Mouse-Nila out of the bathroom. Mouse-Nila attempts to scurry up the stairs past the guards, but the guards catch Mouse-Nila and demand that Shwari keep her "pet" in check. After failing this plan, the group waits, and Bhavannan comes inside the tavern, needing to feed the babies. After he finishes, a curious manithan walks up to him—someone who has been looking specifically for Bhavannan.

The new manithan claims that she was sent from Thalaivi Veyyoni to ensure Bhavannan's safety, knowing that he had been in Keya during its destruction.[1] After her exposition, Bhavannan thanks her but denies her help, sure in his own tenacity. The rest of the party meet this new manithan and joke that she was sent as a "babysitter". After the teasing, the newcomer leaves the tavern to deliver a letter to Thalaivi Veyyoni; Shwari takes Mouse-Nila back to the bathroom, where she shapeshifts back to her normal self. The group meets back at the table and the newcomer introduces herself as Haavani, a cleric to Veyyon. After introductions are made around the table, Nila notices that the elusive Alagan has finally arrived with a woman in hand, presumably called Machaandi. They go upstairs to what seems to be the VIP area, and the group scrambles, Bhavannan and Haavani paying for rooms to get the party upstairs. After doing so, the group decides to talk to Alagan first without Bhavannan and the infants, leaving them in the room waiting.

The four walk up to the VIP area and see Alagan sitting upon a chaise lounge, and no sign of the lady. They approach cautiously, with Shwari taking the lead. Shwari explains the events of Keya, which Alagan accepts with a heavy heart. After Shwari finishes the tale, Alagan proceeds to ask them to leave, but then hesitates, asking them if there is anything else. At this, Shwari asks him to wait and leaves to grab Bhavannan and the twins from the bedroom. As the four enter the VIP room, Alagan immediately recognizes the infants as his nephews. He walks up to Bhavannan and caresses the babies. After a minute, Alagan asks Bhavannan if he could hold one of them and receives Prabhathan. Alagan tears up as he is handed Prabhathan and then asks to hold Harjun as well. Bhavannan hesitates but then does so. Alagan, with tears streaming down his face, holds his nephews, looks at the party, and apologizes for what is about to happen. Machaandi appears upon a stage and rains fire upon three of the party; combat ensues.

Alagan tries to run downstairs, but Bhavannan slashes his legs, felling him. However, Alagan calls out to guards, who arrive and take the infants out his hands. They run downstairs, and Bhavannan chases them but loses the guards amidst the tavern crowd. Bhavannan, in frustration, returns to the VIP room to a sorry scene. Machaandi casts manthiram after manthiram, devastating the party, and the group seems to struggle in harming her. However, the tides turn, with the group finally able to inflict wounds upon the levitating Machaandi. Machaandi teleports to Alagan and tries to help him by shielding him from attacks. In doing so, Haavani attacks Machaandi with the blaze of Veyyon and Machaandi falls to the ground, her final breath kissing Alagan's face. After a few seconds, Alagan collapses as well, to the party's astonishment.

The group run to the dead and try to reason Alagan's sudden death. After finding coin, a Wand of Fears, and bound letters, the group investigate Alagan's bodies closer. As the guard's calls to capture them echo all around, Nila and Haavani have the dismal realization that the cause for Alagan's death is truly the devastation of heartbreak.