Warriors of Cutis

News spreads through Cutis that Bernstein, the Imperial Governor, has been assassinated — and it shocks the region. The Imperial Army moves immediately to accuse Arcia, leader of the Cutis Liberation Army, of masterminding the killing.

The public doesn't know what the reader already learned in Chapter 5: the assassination is staged. Bernstein, now a dead man overnight, wanted at least to let Arcia know he was still alive, but couldn't risk it, and has no choice but to leave Cutis and go into hiding. In his place, the Empire installs a harder line: Duke Stellian becomes the new Imperial governor of Cutis. Vincent doesn't stay gone for good — he resurfaces to help G.S and Landam infiltrate Cutis Castle later on (Chapter 9), and again to help the Cutis army retreat after a defeat further down the road (Chapter 26).

The Paladin Order receives a request for reinforcements from the Liberation Army. Even if they join the battle and drive out the Imperial Army, a prolonged war would surely end in the Liberation Army's defeat — so the best course of action is to evacuate Arcia. Doing so calls for an exceptional ranger, and Lacid recommends G.S. for the task.

The Order tells Lacid there's no need for him to come all this way just to find G.S., but Lacid thinks otherwise — he believes there's a real chance G.S. would refuse if not asked in person. Perhaps it was the experience of crossing the Gigantes Mountains, but Lacid has visibly grown, to the point where even the Paladin Corps can feel it.

The Order finally finds G.S. in the forest. Lacid reminds him of their promise from Chapter 3 — that he'd come find G.S. if he ever needed help — and asks for his aid in turn. Unable to break his word, G.S. agrees.

Cutis has its own homegrown resistance, which held on under its own leadership even before Silver Arrow's arrival: Arcia Landino at its head, with fighters like Ariana Weaver, Ariana Weaver Jr., Cecily Narejuno, Jeyhan Muller, and Erica Myers among its ranks.

After arriving at Port Basra, Lacid's party meets Durant Rembrandt to hear the plan: sneak into Cutis, make contact with the Resistance in the Witch's Forest, and avoid the Imperial Army as much as possible — though evading it entirely is impossible, and a tough battle lies ahead.

The Cutis Resistance, surrounded by Imperial forces, faces a desperate crisis when the Paladin Corps arrives. With their help, the Resistance narrowly escapes and is led to the Resistance Base, where Arcia awaits. Lacid urges Arcia to seek asylum, but Arcia cannot bring himself to abandon the people of Cutis; seeing his resolve to reclaim Cutis Castle, Lacid decides to aid the Resistance instead.

With the Paladin reinforcements at their side, the Cutis Liberation Army faces the Imperial Army head-on, led by one of the Empire's Seven Dragons, Kashutar, and succeeds in retaking Fort Cutis — though they worry about the Imperial Machina still to come. The Paladin Order wants to keep fighting alongside them, but Arcia refuses the offer: he feels they've already received enough help, and couldn't face Iyolin if anything happened to Lacid.

The worry proves justified. The Cutis Resistance ultimately falls before the Imperial Asura Machina, and the Paladin Order — the news reaching them too late — races back to Cutis Castle to rescue Arcia. Realizing they can hold out no longer, the Order once again urges Arcia to seek asylum, and this time, convinced there's no future for Cutis if things continue as they are, he reluctantly agrees to flee with them.

Trying to escape to Dagal with Arcia, the Paladin Order is surrounded by Imperial forces and forced to break through the front line. At the moment of crisis, a hail of fire arrows flies in from somewhere, decimating the Imperial pursuers — Ariana Weaver, known as the Master Archer of Cutis, come to Lacid's aid. Thanks to him, the party barely breaks through the encirclement; entrusting his son, Ariana Weaver Jr., to Arcia's care rather than risk the boy in the resistance fighting to come, Ariana sends the Paladin Order and Arcia safely on to Dagal.

With the frame-up having threatened to isolate Arcia's forces from any hope of outside help, this rescue is the first step toward the alliance that will eventually retake the kingdom for good.