After they had disappeared, the mute queen came to the spot where the entrance to the underground passage was hidden. She peered closely, examining the place, and tried to open the passage, but she could not. When Ravidasan had opened it earlier, she had been standing at a distance, so she had not been able to observe how he managed it. She was certain in her heart that at least one of the two men would surely return there. Therefore, she resolved to wait at that very spot.

Her expectation was not in vain. After sending Ravidasan outside, Soman Sambavan returned there. In his hand was a lamp, but it burned more dimly than before. He had spoken to Ravidasan with great confidence, yet it was clear from the way he glanced about nervously that fear still lingered in his heart.

He came near the place where the passage opened and sat down, trembling. After a short while, the lamp went out. Then, he kept glancing up repeatedly at the beam at the top of the wall. Through it, a faint light had entered, but now that light was slowly fading away. When he saw that the light had faded completely and realized that the sun had set, he began to open the underground passage once more. At that moment, Mandakini came and stood nearby.

The passage opened; Soman Sambavan was about to descend into it.

Just then, in that moonlit chamber, very close to him, a long, drawn-out wailing sound—“Kreech!”—echoed. Soman Sambavan was a man who had seen many terrors in his life. Yet, he had never heard such an unnatural, unearthly sound. If ghosts truly existed and if they had a voice, surely it must sound like this, he thought. At the first cry, Sambavan hesitated and stood still, waiting until the echo died away.

When the wailing cry sounded a second time, the hair on his body stood on end. After the third, even closer cry, his resolve crumbled. In that pitch-dark, moonlit chamber, he began to run blindly, heedless of the path or direction.

Once he had vanished, the mute queen descended into the passage. After a few steps, the way became level. She walked quickly, almost darting forward. Even if Soman Sambavan had seen her entering and tried to follow, he could not have caught her—so swift was her pace. Like a path leading to the very depths of hell, that dark, narrow way stretched ahead... It appeared so. Yet, even that had its end. Where the sheer wall ended, a small gap could be seen above. Some steps could be felt by hand. As she climbed up those steps, her head suddenly struck something. Between the steps of the subterranean path and the place where her head hit above, there were small gaps. Through one of those, she slipped out.

All around, massive demonic forms could be seen. Having seen grand statues on the island of Eelam, this sight did not astonish her. She