As Aurora stepped into the chamber where the final battle against the hive was to take place.
She stood stunned at the sight before her.
She had heard Hoarfrost describe this as the 'heart' of the hive, but she always thought that it was just a metaphor.
But the thing floating in the air in the center of the room was an actual heart. The Constant beating of the organ echoed through the room.
An large eye on either side of the room opened up as they stepped into the room.
She lost her time to stare as several tentacles pulled free from the walls and several maws opened in response to their intrusion.
"Spread out!!" Ordered Aurora as the defenses all responded.
She rose in the air just in time to avoid a glob of acid that landed where she was a moment ago.
Dust'an and Razor immediately got to work targeting the defenses in order to clear a path for them.
Pyros 's chest cannon opened and began to charge up.
"Keep those things off me!!" Exclaimed Pyros.
Aurora used her magic to freeze a tentacle that was moments away from slapping Pyros out of the air.
She dove through the frozen limb headfirst and shattered it. A shriek sounded through the room as the Hive reacted. Much to her suprise though, the tentacle she had just destroyed regrew a few seconds later.
Before she could do anything else, two tentacles struck her from the side and wrapped her up in a tight ball. Several more joined in and began to apply pressure on all sides.
Attempting to crush her like a insect.
She channeled her High Magic and began to superheat the atmosphere around her.
Slowly burning the tentacles up from the inside.
The pressure lessened as the magic took effect and the tentacles withdrew.
A single massive ball of energy left Pyros's cannon and blew a huge hole into the heart.
Exposing a glowing red crystal in it's center.
The entire building seemed to shudder in response.
As the sides of the wound began to knit itself back together, Aurora channeled her magic again and froze the edges.
Stopping the organ from regenerating in the process.
"Take the shot, Xenia!!!" Ordered Aurora.
The manticore had been avoiding the fighting up until now. Staying back and waiting for her moment. Now that it had finally arrived, she sped into the room and angled herself at the Organ.
Dodging the projectiles aimed at her like a veteran. She raised her tail and a single barb rose in response to her body's command.
Just as she was about to fire, a single tentacle slapped her from the side, and blew her off course.
The barb that was destined to end the battle missed it's mark by miles. At the same time, the sound of glass shattering could be heard as Aurora's ice was broken.
The wound began to reseal itself immediately.
"Damn it!!" Thought Aurora.
Deciding to take matters into her own claws, she aimed herself at the rapidly closing wound and conjured a sharp piece of ice similar in size and scale to a Maticore barb.
She fired the projectile and it passed through the heart just as the wound resealed itself behind it.
A muffled sound of glass shattering echoed across the room and the defenses all shut down at once as it's power source was destroyed.
Aurora thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, because she could have sworn she saw a purple light the size of a ball in the center of the heart where the crystal once was.
"If I remember correctly, this next bit is going to get dicy!! We need to get out of here now!!!" Yelled Hoarfrost.
In response, the ball suddenly grew and the heart ripped itself apart. Revealing a featureless purple orb with a black center. At the same moment, Aurora felt a strong force pulling on her as the orb was revealed.
Everything in the room began to be pulled towards it's dark center.
As it got close, the forces pulled apart everything into smaller chunks, before disappearing into the hole.
"Everyone!! Get out of here now!! Move!!" Yelled Aurora.
Everyone helped up and supported those that were wounded in the fighting. The force of the orb rapidly grew stronger until the entire Hive began to come apart.
Xenia ahead of Aurora suddenly stumbled as the pull intensity increased.
She dug in her claws and desperately fought against the pull, but the suction pulled back and unfurled her wings. She rapidly raised into the air and began being pulled back.
Aurora grabbed her tail while holding on for dear life with the other claw.
"Razor!! Help us!!" Called Aurora.
The Griffin turned around and created a barrier behind them. The pull of the orb immediately lessened in response.
"I don't know how long the barrier will hold! We need to hurry!!" Called Razor.
The barrier that was made mere moments ago was already showing signs of cracking.
Aurora grabbed Xenia and they dove down the center of the staircase with Razor.
Just before striking the ground far below, they pulled up and flew out of the main doors just as the barrier came undone and the whole Hive was pulled apart.
They watched from a distance as the Orb continued to grow until the Hive was completely consumed.
She feared that the orb would continue to expand until the entire city was consumed.
But much to her relief, the orb closed in on itself after the Hive was destroyed, leaving an empty cavern with no trace that the goblins were ever there. Even the smell had been completely erased.
As she looked over the wounded, she wondered what Storm's condition was.
....
Meanwhile , back at the Gran's infirmary:
"Somebody!! Stop the bleeding!!"
"His heart rate is dropping!!"
"We're going to lose him!!" Called several different druids.
They were rushing around like headless chickens, desperately trying to keep the dying dragon functioning.
"Heart Rate is gone!!" Called one of the healers.
"Prepare to channel energy!!" Ordered the Grans.
The druids formed a line and rapidly transferred energy into Storm's body.
"No effect!!" Called one of the druids.
"Double the transfer!!" Called the Grans.
They added their own formidable power into the pool being transferred to the dragon.
He still did not stir.
After a moment the Grans ordered everyone to stop.
"Update the record. "
"On the first month of winter's fall"
"The dragon, Storm, was brought before us with severe injuries and entered into shock a moment later."
"Attempts to revive failed and he was declared dead at ..." stated the Grans.
A pulse of dark magic suddenly blasted out of his body and formed a barrier around him.
"Everyone get back!!" Called the Grans.
After a moment, the magic solidified and formed a egg around him.
Hiding him from further examination.