The three of them set sail toward the island using the ancient ship.
Irulmuni had instructed them to travel through the southern path of the island, so they followed that route. Normally, reaching the island from the shore was quite easy, but they couldn't understand why Irulmuni had given them a map instead of simply telling them to go directly.
As they sailed south, they realized the journey was much longer and harder than expected—the southern side of the island was extremely far away. Moreover, when they finally approached from the southern direction, the island appeared much larger than it did from the outside.
As they got closer, they noticed something astonishing—the island was divided into two parts, with a narrow passageway running through the middle, surrounded by massive walls on either side. The sight left them completely amazed.
When they reached the walls, they sounded a warning horn from above to announce their arrival. Bowing their heads respectfully, they entered the island. Suddenly, a group of warriors armed with weapons approached them. The soldiers asked in ancient Tamil, used during the Chola period,
"How did you find this path?"
In response, the three removed their cloaks and revealed the tiger symbol tattooed on their backs. Everyone present was shocked. The warriors shouted in reverence,
"Long live the Chola lineage!"
They warmly welcomed the travelers, helping them off the ship with garlands of flowers and cheers. Inside the island lay a magnificent city filled with grand palaces and Chola-style architecture. Everything around them was adorned with gold, glittering beautifully under the sunlight.
The people there were dressed in golden attire and were filled with joy and pride. They were the Sentinels, the guardians of the island, living reminders of the glorious Chola civilization.
The travelers were awestruck—everything they saw contradicted the outside world's belief that nothing existed here.
At the heart of this majestic land stood a massive palace, glittering with gold, diamonds, and precious stones. In the sunlight, it shone so brightly that it was almost blinding, like a city of pure gold. Armored soldiers and majestic elephants guarded the surroundings—it felt as though the Chola Empire had been reborn.
Descending from their chariot, the three travelers entered the palace. Inside, wise men and magicians sat gathered in the royal court. The court itself was vast, every wall and pillar decorated with gold and jewels. Even the king's throne was carved from a single rare gemstone, radiating divine brilliance.
As the three stepped in, the palace guards announced their arrival, beating great drums to signal the king.
Everyone in the court turned curiously toward the entrance, eager to see who the king was.