When Harold said, "We will send our family to Goddess Agnika," Lorentz paused and smiled thoughtfully. "Why do you hesitate?" Harold asked. "Even if Agnika is necessary for us, she insists that only our family must be present there for protection. So, we must tell our family everything and send them to her for safety," he explained.
Following this, Lorentz and Harold gathered their families and led them to the place Agnika had instructed. Agnika welcomed them and said, "Come to the place I have prepared. I will call you from there." So, Lorentz and Harold went ahead to ensure their families' safety.
But suddenly, the guards of Amaravati city began attacking them and their families. Lorentz, Harold, Karikalan, and Azar fought back fiercely to protect everyone. Amidst the chaos, they managed to lead their people to the place Agnika had mentioned. As soon as they arrived, a door opened, and Agnika instructed everyone to enter through it. One by one, they stepped inside.
Cholan arrived with a large transport structure, but his vehicle got stuck. Christy tried to push it but failed. "You go inside, I'll push it and follow," Harold told Christy, sending her in.
Just then, a warrior aimed an arrow at Cholan. Azar rushed to block it, but the arrow pierced his chest, and he collapsed, bleeding. After that, Cholan and the others entered through the door. Harold rushed to Azar, lifted him, but Azar had stopped breathing—he had died. Everyone present was heartbroken. Azar had sacrificed his life for Cholan.
The three—Lorentz, Harold, and Cholan—sat in grief beside Azar's body. Soon, they were arrested and taken to the palace. Shackled, they were paraded through the streets. The same townspeople who once welcomed them with flowers now pelted them with stones, shouting angrily.
In the royal court, Prime Minister Bimbisan and King Parantakan were seated. The court convened. Bimbisan declared, "These three belong to the Chola lineage. They have killed the warrior who protected our western border. They must be punished."
King Parantakan stood and addressed the court: "In all these years, no warrior of ours has died unjustly. But today, a noble warrior has fallen without fault. Therefore, I sentence all three to death."
As the execution was about to begin, a warrior approached Lorentz, raised a large sword, and swung it down. Suddenly, an arrow struck the sword, breaking it in two. Turning around, they saw Rudrasenan entering the court, his eyes blazing like fire. The entire court fell silent.
He demanded, "How dare you sentence them to death? Remember this: our city must be governed by the laws of the sacred scroll. Just as I swore to my father and ancestors, I am the protector of this city. No harm must come to the Chola lineage. Their blood must not be spilled here. If anyone dares to defy this, the only reward they'll receive from me is death."
Everyone in the court trembled. Parantakan responded, "We must not sentence them to death. Though we may have the power to kill, we must not act unjustly. I never intended to order their execution."
He then commanded, "Take them to the northern forest. They are banished from this city." The guards led them to the northern woods, where a massive circular wall stood. A gate opened, and the three were sent inside.
Beyond the wall were vast forests and large birds. As they walked deeper into the jungle, they came upon a huge cave. Inside stood a colossal statue of ancient archers. Behind it was a small opening. Peering through it, they saw a massive gathering of people dancing wildly around bonfires in the night. The music and the dance were terrifying and savage. As they watched, their hands began to tremble uncontrollably.