At that timely moment, Alwarkadiyan inwardly praised the owl for its help. For, the conspirators gathered in the heart of the forest, upon seeing the owl flapping its wings and hooting, assumed that the noise had come from it.

“Hey! This wretched owl has frightened us! Cut it down!” said one of them.

“No! Save your knives for more important tasks. Keep them sharp for wiping out our enemies, roots and all! The owl and the horned owl are not our foes; they are our friends! When ordinary men sleep, we keep our eyes open. Along with us, the owls and nightjars too remain awake!” declared Ravidasan.

Listening to his words, Thirumalaiyappan quietly stepped, one foot after another, and approached a great marudhu tree. The roots of that hundred-year-old tree spread in all directions. Between two of its main roots, there was a hollow in the ground; at the base of the tree, a fine cavity had formed. In such a hollow, blending with the tree itself, Alwarkadiyan stood.

“As long as the treasury of the Thanjavur kingdom remains, we will lack nothing for our needs. What we require is the courage of heart to complete what we have begun. Until the deed is done, we must have the strength to keep our secret hidden from the world! We must divide ourselves into two groups. One group must go to Lanka at once; the other must go to the Thondai region and wait for the right moment to accomplish our purpose. Both tasks must be completed at almost the same time. If, after finishing off one enemy, we give time, the other will become cautious! We must not give any such chance. Do you understand? Who among you are ready to go to Lanka?” asked Ravidasan.

“I will go!” “I shall go!” Several voices answered at once.

“Who will go can be decided next time we meet in Pandya country! Until then, there are still some arrangements to be made here,” said Ravidasan.

“Which route to Lanka would be best?” one of them asked. “We can go by way of Kodikkarai; it is a good route for crossing the sea. But the journey from here to Kodikkarai is difficult—enemies everywhere, spies at every turn. Therefore, it is best to go to Sethu, cross the sea there, and land near Mahodaya. Those who travel to Lanka must know how to row a boat, push a raft, and swim in the sea. Who here knows how to swim?”

“I know,” “I know too,” came several voices.

“First, we must meet King Mahindan of Lanka and speak with him before we proceed with our mission. So, at least one among those going to Eelam must know the Sinhala language. Ah! Our Soman Sambavan has not yet arrived? Has anyone seen him today?”

“Here I come!” came a voice from very close to Azhwarkadiyan.

Azhwarkadiyan pressed himself even closer to the tree, blending into it as if he were part of the wood. Alas!