Manithan Vaanam

After the images of the destructive children of the Raasa burn through their heads, the party continues its trek through the Palani Hills. Once the sun sets, the party stops for the day and makes camp. As they sit around the campfire, Bhavannan delivers a passionate speech to the others, suggesting that the four of them were brought together for a reason. He supposes that the four could help each other in their aims and that staying together even after delivering the infant twins would be beneficial to all. Shwari agrees and explains that the twins listlessness and loss of home means that their best option is staying with the group as well. Nila agrees too, yet somewhat begrudgingly, explaining that finding the body of her paati seems to become more difficult as her corpse is now tied to the hidden treasure of the Dharma Villu. After the discussion ceases, the group heads to bed and a somewhat peaceful sleep falls upon them.

As the sun rises, Bhavannan, Nila, and Shwari have a candid conversation about Aadhi's inherent magic. After ten minutes of discussion, Aadhi rustles awake and the other three return to their spots to prepare for the trek. Nila obtains berries and mangoes for the group, and, after breakfast, they mount their yaans. However, as they go to do so, the party experiences vertigo and their eyesight blurs. When their sight finally clears, they find themselves standing in front of a massive maze of impassable hedges; the infants and the yaans have disappeared. Proceeding in, they find that their way is eventually blocked by a closing hedge that displays, in glowing writing, the words A scowling face, / a laughless mind. / When will they give grace, / and stop being blind. Considering who the face and mind referred to in the riddle are, Nila comes to realize that the words pertain to her and unfolds that she has long stubbornly refused that she bears magic, even against her paati. When she reluctantly admits this aloud and imitates Aadhi's dancing lights spell, the hedges open for her to pass, and the group proceeds.

Proceeding on, they find another closing hedge reading Twinkles like a star, / dances like thunder. / Yet the heart is twisted and marred, / why I wonder. After a time, the group surmises that this relates to Aadhi, who is coaxed into admitting that she is still thoroughly in love with Dharun, a figure from her past. At this, the hedge opens. The group speculates who could have designed the maze, as it appears to know them intimately and is designed for their self-reflection. Going forward, the next blocked path reads A smiling fool, / golden heart. / Will they realize they are just a stool, / stepped on and pulled apart. This seems to relate to Bhavannan, though he is unable to immediately make sense of it. After a time, a final line appears: Your family. His expression becomes unusually dark after a time, and he confesses that he admires his family but has never been able to capture so much as their attention, much less their respect. The hedge opens, and they proceed.

The final blocked path, the group rightly presumes, will relate to Shwari. It reads: Brave on the outside, / a coward within. / The rope bound to them finally unties, / yet they still hide behind the twin. This forces Shwari to admit that she has always felt shadowed by the importance and character of Aadhi. After all four have been forced by the hedges to reflect on themselves, they finally reach a golden gate. They collect a brazen key for it after reading a last message from their entrapper:

Bhavannan observes a kind of feather engraved on the side of the key. Still pondering the identity of their captor, they proceed to the gate, finding, as it opens, a bright white light emerging from within it. They go through, after forging this riddled bond.