The diversion created by the Greil Mercenaries allows the Laguz Alliance to slip successfully past the Daein army's blockade. Yet General Zelgius and the Central Army show no mercy and continue their pursuit of the Laguz Alliance. The weakened Alliance is forced to make a hard choice: they must pass through the northern edge of Serenes Forest. From there, they will try to make their way to a hidden road that will lead them from Begnion and into Gallia.
"How are we doing for time, Janaff?" Ike asked.
"They're gaining on us! Their lead force is about… a day off, at best," Janaff said.
"How did they cover so much ground since yesterday?" Ranulf asked.
"They're moving faster than expected. At this rate, they'll catch us soon. Any ideas?" Ike asked.
"Well, it would be unwise to use the secret passage, with the enemy so close behind us. If Begnion found it, they would surge across Gallia, and that would hand them the advantage," Soren said.
"We can't expose our country to that! We'll need another plan," Ranulf said.
"Well, we can't fight here. Despite the unfavourable terrain, the forest is also not fully healed, and I'm not going to watch it burn down. Soren, opinion?" Ike asked.
"We have profoundly limited options. It appears our last option are those caves ahead," Soren said.
"Caves? Oh, those are the Kauku Caves. We don't want to go there. It's a maze of lava and ash… not a place of rest. But there are tales that it's a three way passage to Gallia, Goldoa and Begnion. Whatever they say, though, the fact is that it's suicide to go in there without a map," Ranulf said.
"The more you hens carry on, the closer the enemy advances. They'll be less than a day away now," Gavina said.
"If the enemy catches us, we will die. The caves are known to be dangerous, so Begnion may not pursue. Even the most formidable hazard Mother Nature has to throw at us isn't as lethal as an intelligent foe. We must use the caves," Soren said.
"Did I hear that right? The Laguz Alliance entered the Kauku Caves?" Zelgius asked.
"Yes, sir. The enemy must be desperate to go into that forsaken death trap," Levail said.
"We cannot go in there without preparing. It'll be suicide. Let's not die," Zelgius said.
"Not dying is good. It helps us stay alive," Levail said.
"Then tell the men our pursuit is over," Zelgius said.
"That… I cannot allow!" a sinister chuckle sounded.
"Senator… Valtome," Zelgius said.
"Uwee hee hee. You're not even a tiny bit surprised, Lord Zelgius of Kadohl? What a frightful bore you are. I came in secret to surprise you," Valtome said.
"I always know when a foe approaches. I'm actually infinitely more surprised you'd trouble yourself to come all this way," Zelgius said.
"I'm here to deliver a decision by the senate. In its infinite wisdom, the senate has appointed me commander in chief of the Imperial Army. This army is now mine! MINE!" Valtome said.
"Then I am at your command. Orders?" Zelgius asked, not skipping a beat.
"Uwee hee hee. Oh, you are ever so serious… you haven't changed a bit. One of these days, I will catch you off guard. That impassive face must just be part and parcel of your charm," Valtome said.
"Senator Valtome. Orders," Zelgius said.
"Oh, right, orders. This battle is taking too long. We pull back and conquer Gallia by an alternate route," Valtome said.
"I will inform the men," Zelgius said.
"The northern force remains here. Tell them to comb the caves for bodies of dead sub-humans or something," Valtome said dismissively.
"WHAT? Sending them into those caves will be no better than sending them to the gallows! I implore a reconsideration!" Levail exclaimed.
"I gave my order, did I not? Get those men into the caves this minute! And Levail? Never question my orders again, or you'll be killed. Same goes for you, Zelgius. Besides, you both should be happy! You're finally going to be able to wipe out those beasts! Come, now," Valtome said. Zelgius and Levail looked between each other, thinking that one word of Gallian both of them knew.
"How are the injured doing?" Skrimir asked.
"Exhausted. Some of them can't even work up the energy to transform. The unwounded soldiers have been carrying the injured," Ranulf said.
"Good idea. Maybe I'll take a few in the caves," Skrimir said.
"You're hurt, too. Don't strain yourself and cause permanent injury, you hear?" Ranulf asked.
"Hurt? Do I look wounded?" Skrimir asked.
"That's a pool of your own blood. It hurts to even stand, doesn't it?" Ranulf asked.
"Do the others know?" Skrimir asked.
"None of them. But I think Tibarn and Ike both know," Ranulf said.
"Good. Our soldiers shouldn't know. I'm their role model. They'll see I'm wounded, yet continue to fight! That will help them carry on!" Skrimir said.
"Lyre, come on. Stop sulking…" Lethe said.
"Don't talk to me! I hate you, Lethe!" Lyre shouted.
"That's too bad. I like you," Lethe said.
"Liar," Lyre said.
"No, you're Lyre," Lethe said, causing a smile to touch Lyre's lips.
"I want you to stay safe, Lyre. Why did you even join Donaregin? You used to hate fighting!" Lethe said.
"Hmph," Lyre said, scowling.
"Was it because of Ranulf?" Lethe asked.
"…Mostly. But it was also because I wanted to stay with you," Lyre said.
"So you'll talk to me again?" Lethe asked.
"Yeah. Ranulf might like you more than me, but you're still my sister!" Lyre said.
"I'm glad," Lethe said.
"Here, take this. It's a Daunt scroll I stole from Dame Mia's packs. I thought it'd help you keep Ranulf away, and maybe he might start liking me," Lyre said.
"Did you just…" Lethe said, in utter confusion.
"Ah! Lethe's mad at me again! Stop being mean to me!" Lyre said.
"I'm mean?" Lethe asked in confusion.
Inside the Kauku Caves, the Begnion approached the Laguz Alliance.
"Why… why am I always stuck with the awful missions?" Septimus asked, taking his third dose of medication in the last five minutes. "I should've curried favour with General Zelgius. Then maybe I wouldn't have had to have stepped into these ghastly caves…"
"Ike! We have company!" Janaff said, turning about.
"Numbers? I can't see through the smoke and heat," Ike said.
"A token force, just as Soren suspected," Ranulf said.
"Zelgius isn't leading them. That's helpful," Janaff said.
"We'll keep the enemy off Skrimir's tail while everyone looks for an exit. Proceed as planned… we have enough people to deal with these clowns! Everyone ready?" Ike asked.
"Set. Let's finish this and get out of here!" Mia said, wiping some more sweat from her brow. Ike's forces stepped forward. Mia made to follow, but keeled over in the heat.
"Stay back, my dear. You're no good to us unconscious," Ike said.
"My… dear?" Mia asked curiously. Ike looked up, and defeated a pair of Begnions that had made their way forward.
The fighting was intense for the Alliance, and the volcanic heat did them no favours. Oscar and Titania, usually the juggernauts of cavalry, were forced to fight on their feet when their mounts began to become vulnerable due to the lack of water they needed to survive. Rolf and Sheeta's aim was far less accurate as their arrows began to slip from the knocked positions with all the sweat covering their hands. Despite that, Pazu and Gartie were holding their own despite the massive amount of armour they were wearing. Mist, aided by the aerial support of Jill, had managed to take the fight to the general himself while the rest of the laguz held off the rest of the goons.
With her runic and sonic sword in hand, Mist fought with every fibre of her being. Against an armoured opponent like Septimus, she had to find that weak point in the armour that would bring this fool down. However, the shield managed to block each and every one of her attacks, though she was fast enough to dodge his lance attacks. She brought up her swords again, catching the lance in between them crossed like an X. She drew both swords away, removing the point from the rest of the shaft. The General cried out in shock, giving her the opening she needed. She struck the shield with one of her swords, but whirled around with the other, driving it through a loose plate and up through the chest of the coward. The body fell limb and Mist drew her blade free as the body fell into the lava pool, and soon there was no evidence that Septimus had even existed at all.
"Ike! Ranulf! I found a way out!" Skrimir said. Ike and Ranulf nodded with joy, and the Laguz Alliance followed Skrimir from the cave, Mia on Ike's back.
"Yes! We made it through the caves!" Skrimir said in triumph.
"Looks like we lost the Begnion Army, as well. We can rest…" Ike said.
"I thought we were goners… I thought my rashness had killed us. But we got back to Gallia!" Skrimir said.
"Skrimir. Has the heat gone to that shaggy head of yours? This ain't Gallia," Tibarn said. The Laguz Alliance had time only for a brief glance between each other before someone came to 'greet' them.
"YOU! By whose authority have you entered this land?" a Goldoan asked.
"Goldoa, land of dragons… by the goddess did we mess up," Ranulf said.
"Dragons… the most powerful of all the laguz tribes. I've always wanted to fight a dragon, but I never expected these circumstances… I've got some explaining to do to the King…" Skrimir said.
"You've got to get home first. Well, I guess it's time to visit the stubborn old lizard," Tibarn said.
"And there you have it. We never intended to violate Goldoa's borders. It was an accident," Tibarn said, finishing his story to King Deghinsea of Goldoa.
"I see. I understand your predicament. However, your reasons neither justify nor change your trespass on our territory. I order you to leave immediately. Go back through the caves, the way you arrived," Deghinsea said.
"You'd have us return to Kauku Caves again? Many of my men are wounded, and you'd be sending them to their deaths! I'm not going to accept this!" Skrimir said, ignoring Ranulf's protests.
"It is… regrettable, yes, I suppose. But I cannot make exceptions. You will leave, now," Deghinsea said.
"How could a laguz be so cold to his brothers? We're your people as well!" Skrimir said.
"This isn't exactly news, Skrimir. Goldoa and its scaly old lizards have ignored the suffering of their laguz brothers for centuries. They looked the other way as birds and beasts were enslaved by beorc! Isn't that so, Dragon King?" Tibarn asked.
"…Our country is neutral. It has been since time out of mind and will continue as such," Deghinsea said.
"Then you might as well kill us now. It'd would produce the same result as sending us to Kauku Caves, and it saves us the walk," Ike said.
"You are beorc. I wouldn't expect such a short lived kind to understand," Deghinsea said.
'I don't need that understanding to see that it takes a poor king to have so little regard for fellow living creatures," Ike said.
"Your Majesty! Please hear our plea!" Ena said.
"What are you two doing here?" Deghinsea asked, looking between Ena and her grandfather Nasir.
"Please allow my grandfather and me to guide the Laguz Alliance to the borders of Gallia. I beg of you," Ena said.
"Prince Reyson of the heron tribe stands among them. The dragon tribe owes him safe passage. Please, Your Majesty! He saved the soul of your son! Would you condemn him, plus an infant beorc, to die?" Nasir asked.
"Do as you like. This will be my only exception," Deghinsea said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ena said.
"Well, here we are. I suspect you know the way from here," Nasir said, as the group finished their trek.
"Thanks, Nasir! You saved our hides back there!" Pazu said.
"It's the least we could do. I will pray for your safety," Nasir said, nodding.
"Hey, wait up, you two! We haven't seen you for a long time! Don't you have the time to stay and talk a while?" Ike asked.
"A long time? We just saw you three years ago!" Ena said.
"Oh, right… three years isn't that long for dragons," Ike said.
"Oh, I'm sorry… Three years would probably feel longer for beorc," Ena said.
"Ike, I'd love to stay and talk, but now is not the time. In truth, we're not even allowed to speak to you at all! Now please, go," Nasir said.
"Why? Why isolate yourselves?" Ike asked.
"I don't expect you to understand. But we obey our king's decision of our own free will. That's all I have to say on the matter. You, on the other hand, should go and tend to your wounded in Gallia. Tell the Lion King what has happened," Nasir said.
"OK… I'll go now. Will we see each other again?" Ike asked.
"I hope so. You are among our dearest friends," Nasir said.
"Take care, and be safe," Ena said.