Manithan Vaanam

After an ashen night of chilling dreams and premonitions, the party starts their long journey through the Palani Hills, the task to bring the Murugeshwara twins to Kaverinaadu underway. The first day of their travels consists of monotonous walking, with chatter of Aadhi and Shwari filling the air. On the second day, the group begins their journey once more, but a few hours in, Kittu hears a stream of water in the distance. Kittu leads them towards the sound with suspicious remarks from Aadhi and Shwari flung at him along the way. However, within a few minutes, Kittu discovers the source of the sound: a waterfall in the midst of a lush grove of jasmine plants and mango trees.

Upon seeing the waterfall, the Venkataram twins apologize to Kittu, yet with an air of flippancy present in their tones. After their apologies, Aadhi and Shwari sprint for the waters as the other three slowly dismount their yaans. When Shwari leaps in, she feels a cold and refreshing water splash upon her with an almost rejuvenating effect. However, the opposite happens with Aadhi—she feels a singeing heat flood through her body and as a result turns an unnatural shade of blush. She quickly jumps out of the water and garners attention from each member. Aadhi explains her symptoms to the rest, but none of the others necessarily believe her, with Nila stepping into the water after and experiencing the same effects of Shwari. After this troubling experience, Aadhi tests the comfort of the waters next to the infants, shaping a sphere of water and moving it within two feet of babies, who are within Bhavannan's arms. They start shrieking as they feel the presence of the water, and Aadhi drops the sphere, moving towards the infants to protect them. However, Bhavannan shields them away from her, fearing for their safety, The two then have a conversation about Aadhi's true intentions, the supposed divinity of the water, and whether the Kadavuls were truly present in Aadhi's life. Bhavannan, to prove that the water is safe, wades into the water, where he feels cooling effects and the rays of Veyyon simultaneously. After this, Aadhi, swept in insecurity, runs off into the woods, away from the waterfall. Shwari follows her, and the remaining three have a conversation regarding the Venkataram twins.

As Aadhi drifts into the woods, she starts singing a classical song and the walk eventually turns into a Bharatanatyam dance. Shwari, who was following her, stops as well and waits for her dance to end. After Aadhi stops, the two of them discuss Aadhi's feelings and worries, specifically revolving around the infant twins and a supposed blue lady. Whilst this is happening, Bhavannan, Kittu, and Nila are conveying their opinions about the twins. There is a tentative agreement about that Aadhi is to not be trusted fully and that the twins need to show more acts of dharma to correct this. Once this conversation ends, the Venkataram twins join them and Aadhi apologizes sincerely, explaining her reasoning for upsetting the infants. After this, the party reaches a curt agreement to leave this esoteric waterfall. However, right before they leave, Kittu and Aadhi have a conversation, where Kittu essentially forgives her, chipping a crystal off his arm and handing it to Aadhi. However, when the crystal is placed on Aadhi's palm, it bursts into flames and brands Aadhi. She drops the rock in shock and pain and finds a branded image of a lotus upon her palm. At this sight, Nila finds a mint-like herb, crushes it, and applies a salve to the burn wound. When Kittu is asked about the crystal, he replies vaguely, and a squeamish nature overcomes him. After this spectacle, the group finally leaves, resuming their travels and setting up a campsite to rest for the night.

The party wake the next morning and continue their journey. However, fifteen minutes into the travel, Kittu realizes that the infants have started sneezing and coughing. He checks their temperature and finds that a fever have broken out in the two of them. Nila applies the mint salve to their heads and then finds a pepper plant, which she makes a pepper-infused water with. She then feeds the infants slowly, hoping that the pepper will alleviate the coughing. As the rest of the party waits for Nila to finish, Kittu hears small footsteps and what seems to be an older lady singing a song. Once Nila finishes tending to the infants, the party mounts their yaans. However, out from the trees comes an elderly forest gnome by the name of Gambidevi. She introduces herself as cleric to Pillaiyar and explains that she and her wife and built a farmstead nearby. She then speaks with each yaan, and eventually they tell her of the desecration of Keya. She starts tearing up at the memories of the yaans and then proceeds to offer a roof and food for the party. The group quickly takes the offer, and Gambidevi, without warning, nudges the yaans towards her direction. After a few minutes, she leads them in song and the woods are filled with the music of yaans as the farmstead slowly comes into view.

The group reaches the farmstead, and on its porch stands an elderly deep gnome named Maarya. In contrast to Gambidevi's warm welcome, she questions the party, daring them to bring trouble onto the farm. The party quickly reassures they mean no harm, and Gambidevi tells the tragic tale of Keya. At this, Maarya softens, and the couple leads them inside. As the group enters, Nila notices a painting set above the fireplace. The painting features the couple's wedding, a scene of them walking around a fire pit in extravagant sarees and jasmine chains around their necks. The painting also depicts the officiant, who turns out to be Ashitham Dandava: Nila's paati. Nila asks the two of them how they knew Ashitham, and they both explain how Ashitham was the reason the two of them met. After this revelation, Nila tells the two gnomes that she is Ashitham's granddaughter, and the three of them share a loving embrace. However, the happy embrace is quickly transformed into a tearful one as Nila reveals her paati's untimely death. After the couple console each other from the news of the death of their beloved friends, they ask that the party leave the infants here, for the journey is not safe and healthy for a three-month-old. The party quickly agrees that this conversation is to be held later, for much is to be discussed. After this somewhat satisfying answer, the couple lays the infants to rest in a makeshift swing made out of sarees and then rushes off upstairs to draw hot water for each bath. The manithan are left standing downstairs, delving in thought about their time among the falls and the farm.