The Vanguard stood in Camelot's war room, the flickering hologram of France casting ghostly shadows across their faces. Shadowbane's voice cut through the silence, sharp and focused.
"We've received reports of a rogue Matron operating independently of Vlazik and the High Matron. She's avoiding conflict with resistance fighters and laying eggs in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs."
Christopher raised an eyebrow, exhaling a plume of smoke. "Eggs? That's not exactly a declaration of peace."
Bandruí, seated at the edge of the table, spoke softly. "It could be. She might be trying to create something new—something that doesn't need to conquer to survive."
Firebrand scoffed, his flames flickering. "Or she's breeding a whole new army of Inphel to wipe us out."
Arthur raised a hand for silence. "We won't know until we confront her. But we approach this mission with caution—and with hope. If there's a chance to end this war without more bloodshed, we must take it."
The Vanguard deployed under the cover of darkness, using a stolen Inphel shuttle to evade detection. The journey into occupied France was fraught with tension. The landscape below was a haunting mix of desolation and grotesque transformation. Rivers glowed faintly with bioluminescent algae, and forests were overrun with strange, pulsating plants.
"Whatever she's doing," Shadowleaf murmured, scanning the terrain through her scope, "it's spreading fast."
Bandruí closed her eyes, reaching out with her magic. "The earth is uneasy. It's changing... adapting to something new."
Swift Angel, seated at the helm, glanced back. "Let's hope it's something we can live with."
The team landed near a secluded lake glowing with an eerie, ethereal light. At its centre stood the rogue Matron, her silver hair cascading down her back, her luminous skin casting ripples of light across the water. Around her, dozens of eggs floated just beneath the surface, their translucent shells revealing faintly humanoid forms inside.
As the Vanguard approached, the Matron turned, her glowing eyes meeting theirs without fear.
"I expected you sooner," she said, her voice resonating with an otherworldly harmony.
Arthur stepped forward, Excalibur gleaming faintly. "We've come to understand your intentions. Are you here to destroy us or to help us?"
The Matron tilted her head, her expression calm. "Neither. I am here to ensure my people's survival—but not as they are now."
The Matron gestured to the eggs, her voice steady. "The Inphel have stagnated. Their parasitic ways have doomed them to extinction. I seek to create something different—a race where males and females coexist, where we can thrive without conquest."
Firebrand crossed his arms, his flames dimming slightly. "And what about humans? Where do we fit into your utopia?"
The Matron's gaze softened. "Alongside us. These new Inphel will inherit the best traits of both our species. They will be equals, not overlords."
Bandruí stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "You're asking us to trust you while you play god. What happens if this new race doesn't want coexistence? What if they become a threat?"
The Matron's glow dimmed slightly. "Then I will ensure they do not survive. But I believe in them, just as you believe in your people."
The team stepped aside to confer, their voices low but tense.
"She's playing us," Firebrand said. "This is just another way for the Inphel to take over."
Bandruí shook her head. "I don't think so. She's defying the High Matron, risking her life to create something better. That takes courage."
"And arrogance," Shadowleaf added. "She's tampering with forces no one fully understands."
Arthur's gaze was steady as he spoke. "If there's a chance to end this war without destroying each other, we must consider it. But we cannot be naïve."
Arthur approached the Matron, Excalibur lowered but still glowing faintly. "If we agree to let you continue, what guarantees do we have that these... creations won't turn against us?"
The Matron spread her hands, her voice calm. "None. All I can offer is my word and the hope that we can build something better together."
Bandruí stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly. "Then you must trust us as well. If we see any sign of betrayal, we won't hesitate to stop you."
The Matron nodded. "Agreed. But I warn you—should you attack me, these waters will run red with blood."
Back in his laboratory, Doctor-General Vlazik paced frantically. Reports of the rogue Matron's activities had reached him, and his paranoia had grown into a consuming obsession.
"She's defying the High Matron," he muttered, his clawed hands shaking. "She seeks to usurp me, to destroy everything I have built."
One of his aides approached cautiously. "Doctor-General, she has not attacked our forces. Perhaps her intentions are not hostile."
Vlazik turned on him, his eyes blazing. "Fool! Her intentions are irrelevant. She is a threat to the cycle—to our very existence!"
He activated the psychic link to the High Matron, his voice trembling. "She must be destroyed. Give me the forces I need, and I will ensure her betrayal is punished."
The High Matron's reply was cold and deliberate. "You will proceed with caution, Vlazik. If she is truly building a new race, it may serve us. But if she defies me, she will be eliminated."
As the Vanguard prepared to leave, the rogue Matron spoke one final time.
"Tell your people that not all Inphel seek their destruction. Some of us seek salvation. Together, we can create a future worth living for."
Arthur nodded, his voice steady. "We'll see."
As they returned to their shuttle, Bandruí glanced back at the glowing lake, her thoughts heavy.
"Do you believe her?" she asked Arthur.
"I don't know," he replied. "But we may not have a choice."