Manithan Vaanam

After spending a night on the luminous waters of the Neithal Kingdom, the party sets up camp in a mango grove. When they finish and start to rest, Aadhi's former lover, Dharun, ambles into the camp. When he sees the party, he turns around and walks away. Aadhi follows him, stopping him from leaving completely. The two have an intense conversation: Dharun wonders why Aadhi left out of the blue, and Aadhi explains her reasoning and subsequent questing. They reconcile, and then walk back to the group, where Aadhi introduces Dharun to the party. Shwari regards him coolly, Haavani with polite manners, and Bhavannan with enthusiasm. The party then explains their current adventure to Dharun. Dharun desires to aid in it, even mentioning that a parade happening in five days for Kadalon. As the sun sets, he leaves, promising to return if Aadhi wishes. Before he departs however, Aadhi reveals Bodhi's presence within her soul and that she may not live much longer. Dharun is filled with worry and offers to ask his dad for advice, as his dad is a priest at Suruli Koyil. Aadhi accepts the help, but only after their mission is complete. Dharun accepts, and then leaves. Day becomes night, and the twins talk about their anxieties and frustrations regarding the future conflict with their father, Venkataram. Shwari contemplates her feelings for their father, explaining that even if he was villainous, he was still a father figure to them. As midnight approaches, the group falls asleep.

The next three days passed uneventfully. On the fourth day, the bards Ravi and Kumar visit the party, and explain that their plans are going swimmingly, and that they would like to act on the day of the parade. The party accepts this and prepares for the following day, steeling themselves for the conflict ahead.

The next morning in the early hours, Dharun visits Aadhi to wish her well on the mission. He asks Aadhi if she would like to pray to Kadalon with him, and they do. Kadalon's blessings fall upon both of them, and Dharun departs, kissing her goodbye. Haavani prays to Veyyon as well, gaining his blessing. Shwari tries to pray to Dhara but gets no response, leading her to be contemptuous toward the Kadavul. Haavani calms Shwari down, explaining that praying to Him in the daylight might not be the best approach. Shwari accepts the reasoning, yet still holds onto some of the frustrations. The party packs up and starts walking toward the Venkataram house. As they get closer, they find one of his secret tunnels. Bhavannan and Haavani prepare to go through the tunnel, splitting the party. As they say their goodbyes, the group wishes each other the best and hopes that all their preparations are enough.