In the heart of the ant colony's nest, Ari stands before the solemn Queen Aritsu.         
“There is nothing I can do for Elchi,” chirps Queen Aritsu as she gazes at Elchi’s leg stumps. Elchi lowers her head in acceptance, Ari raises hers in protest.           
“You completely remade me, surely there is something you can,” yells Ari, overwhelmed by her emotions. This sudden outburst stuns the Queen, as she has never been yelled at before.
“I cannot help Elchi; rebirth only worked because you were still weak. One who has become defiant can only rely on themselves,” explains the Queen, yet Ari’s rage doesn’t quell. Ari’s emotions begin to take over when another intervenes.       
“Ari, please don’t embarrass me before her Majesty. My wounds are my responsibility; if I had prepared more, I wouldn’t have been at the great bat’s mercy,” calmly says Elchi while placing a leg on Ari to stop her. Elchi’s heartfelt words cause Ari to simmer down, but stir worry in Queen Aritsu.

“Did you say Great Bat? Elchi, tell me more about what happened out there, what happened outside of this nest?” questions the Queen, clearly worried about something unknown to the pair. Queen Aritsu hangs on every word, her mood taking several hits. The Queen is left in thought as she mumbles, “A great bat wouldn’t run from an injury like that. Don’t tell me that… this is bad… really bad,” before faking her usual tone and concluding “, Ari, I’d like a private audience with Elchi from here on. Please wait outside.” Ari thinks to protest, but upon looking at the Queen’s and Elchi’s expression, she realises it’s best to do as she was told.

Having been sent away, Ari waits patiently outside for Elchi. She laments over her own weakness, blaming herself for what happened. Shifting the blame onto herself, she wonders what would’ve happened if Calamity were there instead. Would Elchi have gotten hurt? Before she could dig a deeper hole of regret, Elchi shook her back to reality.               
“Elchi! You’re back, are you alright? What did the Queen, never mind that, let’s go,” chirps Ari, a sudden happiness overflowing within her. What met her eyes wasn’t mutual happiness but rather a look of sadness and pride. 
“It was my honour to meet you, Ari,” calmly chirps Elchi before saying, “Though it wasn’t long, even though you seem so weak, I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”       
“What are you saying, Elchi? It’s not like you're leaving me. Come on, let’s go,” chirps Ari, confused at what Elchi said. She tries pulling along the defiant to no avail.      
“Princess, I can’t go with you. I’m not enough to protect you from what’s to come. While I won’t be next to you anymore, I’ve decided to do all I can,” says Elchi before breaking away from Ari. As she walks off, sadness blooms within both, a sadness so great neither senses the abundant danger pheromones filling the tunnels.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Ari is left paralysed where she stood. She feels a shake and something yelling her name out frantically. Returning to her senses, she sees a soldier ant and finally detects the abundant danger pheromones.   
“Princess Ari, Princess Ari, Princess Ari! It’s urgent! Where is her Majesty?” frantically calls the soldier.  Still somewhat dazed after what Elchi said, Ari cannot manage to say anything in response. She tries to point behind her where the Queen is, but is interrupted when the soldier yells, “The colony is under attack by bats!” Ari trembles in fear, not only at the news but mainly due to the overwhelming presence suddenly erupting behind her.

“M-m-m-my nest is under attack? By filthy bats! T-this is unacceptable!” screeches Queen Aritsu, her emotions overflowing. From everywhere, defiants appear, their heads lowered and waiting for orders. The Queen chooses three, who quickly depart for battle. “The rest of you, prepare for war as swiftly as possible,” frantically chirps the Queen. All but two instantly depart, those remaining being the 2^nd and 3^rd evolved to guard her Majesty. “Ari, wait in my room. Hidden where I normally reside are tunnels. I’ll be sending cross-marked corpses, throw those down the tunnels,” began the Queen. Ari tries raising her voice to question what’s going on, but is shut down by the defiants. “Wounded will also be carried there to recover. Take care of them, but if any are marked, throw them in as well,” coldly finishes the Queen before departing.   

With the ant colony having been discovered by the bats, an intense battle erupts at the entry tunnel. At the mercy of their flying invaders, the workers and soldiers can do nothing but die. Without a general or defiant presence, they are dropped, decapitated and destroyed. Occasionally, they will pin down and defeat a worker bat, and if lucky, a warrior may fall. A lone soldier strikes such luck, causing the death of a stronger worker bat. She begins dragging the corpse back to safety, arriving atop a wall of her sister’s corpses. Rushing down the tunnel come three sinister defiants, filling this ant with hope. As this ant rolls down the wall of corpses, she sees her headless body having become its newest addition.

Bolting over the wall comes another soldier, picking up the bat’s corpse. She carries on her sister’s mission of transporting the corpse. The nameless soldier passes the defiants who leap over the corpse wall. Their arrival at the battle changes everything, the death cries of ants transforming into proud cheers. The soldier walks forward with a new sense of relief and sees countless generals storming the tunnel. Their usage of the ‘Motivate’ skill rekindles the ant armies' dying spirits and boosts their abilities. Hearing the tides of battle change behind her, the soldier continues dragging the corpse.

The final death throes drown away as the last invader dies. Surveying the situation is Junt, the 13^th evolved defiant. Judging the situation stable, she gathers a group of ants to transport the wounded. Addressing the remaining ants, she declares that they will advance outside and look for stragglers. Her simple yet proud order resonates within all who hear it, making their advance unquestionable. Junt turns around, intending to inform the Queen of victory, when she hears screams erupt behind her. This battle was not yet concluded.