"ODIN!" Jaune's scream echoed throughout the chamber. There was a gasp from each of the Shadow Hunters as they looked over. Jaune was holding Blake's evoker in his hand, his forehead dripping sweat as the chains surrounded his arm. With the click of the trigger, the blue mist swirled over Jaune's body. The golden legs formed, then the red sash, all the way up to the shimmering helmet with the one vine-covered eye. La Pucelle's spear manifested next to Bladr's shield, and Odin's one eye glinted in the light.

The wooden spear soared through the air, a brilliant bullet of energy that stabbed through the base of Jormangandr's body as it was still forming. The spear flew clear through its black oozing body, launching all the way to the golden throne in the back of the room before dissipating. A deafening silence followed as Cinder turned to see what had happened, all too late to react.

The top of Jormangandr's body began to… drip. A black ooze was falling from its face onto the floor around it, a pitch black rain of oil surrounding it. Cinder looked down as a large drop fell before her, her eyes slowly widening as she looked up, watching Jormangandr collapse into nothingness. There was a slow shift as Jormangandr simply stopped growing, and the top half of its body began to slide away from its bottom half, still leaving putrid puddles of its body on the floor.

Cinder's smile had vanished as she stared at Jaune with abject rage. Behind her, Jormangandr's top half hit the floor, becoming a river behind her. Then, as what happened with all defeated Shadows, Jormangandr's body started to dissipate into the black particles, floating harmlessly into the air. Where once was the Midgard Serpent, Devourer of the World, now was only ash and goop.

She screamed. Cinder let out a blood-curling howl that filled the room.

Jaune let out a heavy breath and collapsed into the floor, his eyes fluttering from the expended energy. He tried to move his body, but found he simply couldn't… he watched, vaguely aware of Cinder's anger rising, but unable to do anything about it.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" She stood above them, Logi behind her twitching violently. She stomped the ground, and as she did so little jets of flame flew from her heel. Logi began to grow larger and larger, the torrent of flame that was its body seemingly having trouble keeping itself together. The chains wrapped around it began to snap, creating sparks all around its body.

Yang watched as the chain released itself from her arm, and she stretched it, quickly coming to a stand. Around her, the other Shadow Hunters –save Jaune – came to their feet again as well. They each brandished their weapons, watching as the scene ahead of them unfolded. Emerald continued her retreat from Cinder, standing among the Shadow Hunters as Logi blazed out of control. Slowly, Jaune stood to join them, seeming dazed as he slowly lifted his sword.

"I will. Destroy. Each. And. EVERY. ONE. OF. YOU. COME TO ME, SURTR!" Cinder held her arms aloft as a series of chains shot forth from Logi's body, surrounding Cinder. Cinder was lifted off of the ground, her body dragged into Logi's. The 'face' that circled Logi's body settled across its torso, and two additional large arms shot out of the swirling tornado of its body. Its entire form dripped molten magma, with Cinder staring out from the chest, between the 'eyes' of the face.

"Th… they've merged." Weiss said, watching the scene unfold. "We… we can still try to get her out of there."

"I don't think there's any point." Emerald called back over the roar of the inferno before them. "This… this is what she wants."

"Well, I'm in for one last fight." Yang said, looking to Ruby, who nodded back as she spun her scythe around her and settled in a fighting pose.

"Me too." Blake stood next to Jaune, her hand on his lower back to support him. Jaune looked at her, the exhaustion clear on his face. He straightened his posture slowly, handing Blake back her Evoker, then reaching for his sword.

"I might not have much left to fight with, but I'll give it all I've got." He said, rolling his shoulders and his neck, looking to the other Shadow Hunters. "For Pyrrha."

"And Penny." Yang said, lowering herself, bringing her fists in front of her face, eyes focusing on Cinder.

"And Qrow." "Ruby added, tapping the base of her scythe against the marble floor.

"I'm in too." Emerald said, looking at the dagger in her hands. "I don't know how much good I'll do, but I'm with you." She stared up at Cinder, a pained expression in her face.

Surtr launched a torrent of flame towards the Shadow Hunters, who scattered. Jaune, Blake, and Emerald ran along the right side, while Yang, Ruby, and Weiss circled the left. Ruby slashed at the lower of Surtr's two left arms with her scythe, barely avoiding the magma that streamed out of the cut afterward. She swiftly side stepped, giving a concerned look to Yang and Weiss before shouting, "be careful!"

Surtr tossed a ball of magma in its right hand casually before tossing it directly towards Blake. Just before it could collide with her, Jaune stepped in front, pulling the trigger on his Evoker. As he did so, Odin manifested, and using Baldr's shield, completely absorbed the flame.

"Thanks!" Blake called, stepping around Jaune to summon Bête, who launched a fury of swipes at Surtr's body, causing it to spill even more magma onto the ground. Emerald managed to dodge-roll out of the way, keeping pace as they continued to circle Surtur's body, side stepping one of the golden columns before she collided directly with it.

"STAND STILL." Surtr shouted, his voice echoing with the sound of charcoal burning. A chain manifested in each of the fire giant's hands. She spun the chains towards Ruby, Yang, and Weiss. Ruby swiftly dove through a gap in the attack, followed by Yang. Weiss was engulfed in one of the chains, and pulled into the air before being slammed back down against the marble floor.

"We can't just keep running in circles!" Blake called watching Weiss get slammed against the floor, summoning her Persona to launch a healing spell over her wounded friend. "We have to come up with a plan!"

"What about Cinder!?" Emerald said, ducking under a fireball that Surtur launched towards her. "What if we can get her out of there?"

"Good plan!" Yang said, sliding to a stop. Ruby slid to one next to her, almost bumping into her as she paused in her momentum. "Give me a lift!" Yang said, kneeling down to the ground.

"You got it!" Ruby pulled the trigger on her Evoker. "Big Bad!" Her giant wolf of a Persona manifested behind her, and with a earth-shattering howl it manifested a gust of wind beneath Yang. Yang launched into the air towards Surtr, pulling her Evoker from its holster as she rocketed toward the core.

"Locks!" She called, pulling the trigger. As she did so, her Persona manifested, spinning one of its braids in its bear-gloved arms. The braid shot out towards Cinder, wrapping around her. Yang and her persona continued their flight over Surtr, with Locks' braid wrapped tightly around Cinder's body.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Surtr called, launching an fireball towards Yang and Locks, who landed on the other side.

"Fairest!" Weiss called, summoning her Persona. The mirror manifested in front of the fireball. The lipstick-covered lips blew a kiss, causing a giant wall of ice to appear between the fireball and the shadow hunters. As the fireball collided with the ice, the two forces exploded into a harmless mist.

Locks tugged on her hair, with Yang pulling as well. Cinder moved from the center of Surtr's body towards the edge, her body somehow unscathed despite being bathed in flame. Her eyes were wide open with fear and rage as she was slowly pulled from the fire.

"NO, I'M NOT DONE." She screamed from inside Surtr. Surtr's four arms grabbed the impossibly long golden hair wrapped around Cinder's body, and pulled. Yang barely let go in time as Locks went flying into the inferno, vanishing into a blue mist as the persona collided with Surtr's body.

"That almost worked!" Jaune said, looking to Yang and the others. "We just have to get her out in time!"

Surtr launched a series of flaming blasts to each hunter, who all managed to narrowly avoid being burnt alive. Then, Surtr's massive fist came down over Yang, slamming her into the ground. Yang let out a heavy sigh as her body collided with the floor. Surtr, then lifted Yang into the air, pulling her in front of Cindr, holding her by her long golden hair.

"NICE TRY." Surtr's charcoal-voice echoed. "BUT IT ENDS HERE." Surtr used all four hands to press against Yang's body. Yang let out a scream as each of Surtr's palms made of torrents of flame collided with her body, until she was entirely enveloped in fire. When Surtr pulled all four hands away, Yang was no more, and the ash of her body collapsed to the floor.

"Yang!" Ruby cried, running forward. "That was my sister!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face. She pulled the evoker to her head, and Big Bad manifested alongside her. Using a gust of wind, the two leapt straight towards Cinder-in-Surtr at lightning speed, scythe and claws at the ready. As they bulleted toward her, they were suddenly stopped short as two chains shot forth from two of Sutr's arms. They wrapped themselves around Ruby, who suddenly found herself unable to move.

"W-wait!" She cried, her face still wet with tears. "Don't!"

"TOO LATE." Surtr called, and using its other two hands, launched a torrent of flame that completely enveloped Ruby. Her Evoker was the only thing left, which dropped harmlessly to the floor with the clatter of metal on marble, letting off steam from the massive amount of heat that it was just subjected to.

"We have to keep going!" Weiss called out to Blake, who nodded in return. Weiss then called Fairest, who created a slick of ice that ended in a ramp heading straight towards Surtr. Wasting no time, Blake slid across the ice slick on the floor, gaining speed and momentum before finally reaching the ramp and flying straight towards Cinder.

In mid-air, Blake summoned Bête before her, who charged straight for Cinder, claws extended. Surtr placed its four arms in front of itself as Bête collided with its body, launching a furious assault of swipes. With each swipe, magma spilled from Surtr's arms, creating a waterfall of magma that Blake, momentum still carrying her, collided with. Bête suddenly vanished as, upon colliding with the magma flow, Blake was no more.

Weiss stood alone staring down Surtr, her rapier drawn, looking defiantly up at the giant monster that had just destroyed her friends. Her ponytail flew in the air behind her, the edges of her dress flapping in the wind as the waves of heat washed off of Surtr.

"WELL, SCHNEE GIRL." Surtr called, "YOUR TURN." Surtr's four hands came into the center of its body again, and began creating a swirling ball of fire, which Surtr then launched straight at Weiss. Once again, Weiss summoned Fairest, creating the wall of ice between herself and Surtr – only to find one of Surtr's chains launched over the wall and straight for her. The chain wrapped around Weiss's waist, pulling her violently through her own ice-wall and into the oncoming torrent of fire. The ice wall collapsed into nothingness… as did its creator after coming swiftly, unguarded, into contact with the fireball.

Jaune sat, breathing heavily as Surtr lowered its body towards him. He was kneeling looking up at Surtr with his blade in his hand. Cinder, in the middle of the torrent of flame, gave him a smile as she crossed her arms, the torrent of flames surrounding her creating a face for Surtr that mimicked her own features.

"WELL, WHAT HAVE YOU TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" She said through Surtr's voice. Jaune realized that although he could hear the charcoal-like voice of Surtr echoing through the room, he could make out Cinder's voice underneath it.

"Hey," he said, shoulders heaving. "We came here to beat Jor… Ger… you know, the snake guy." His whole upper body seemed to move with every breath as he was clearly putting in effort to keep himself up. "I'd say… that's a win for us." He looked up at her, smiling through the pained breathing.

"I SUPPOSE THAT IS TRUE." Cinder-Surtr mocked. "PERHAPS YOU DESERVE MERCY." Surtr leaned back, letting out a large chuckle. All four hands came together in front of Cinder once more, creating a gargantuan ball of flame just like they did for Weiss. "SHAME THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE DESERVE."

"I think…" Jaune said, gasping for breath as he spoke, "that you're about to."

There was a split second of confusion on Cinder's face as she looked down to see a golden braid of hair wrapped around her face. Where Jaune was sitting only moments before sat Emerald, an Evoker to her head. Scheherazade's textile body was floating behind her, the gem in her hand letting of a myriad of colors of light. Emerald was dripping with sweat, breathing heavily, but smiling despite it.

From behind Cinder stood Locks, numerous golden braids of hair extending into Surtr's body, both of her hands gripping one braid. Beside her, Yang gripped a braid as well. Ruby was pulling on one with Big Bad beside her, using its massive maw to pull on the strand. Blake and Bête gripped another, as did Weiss with Fairest beside her. Fairest had manifested a pair of hands out of ice, and the pair of lips and eyes on her face looked strained as the ice-arms pulled. Finally, at the front of them all stood Jaune, whose holster was empty, but his hands were full of Locks' golden rope-like hair.

"One!" Jaune called, tugging once on one of the ropes that was tied to Cinder.

Surtr let out a roar, and all four hands reached toward Emerald.

"Two!" Jaune shouted, planting his feet and adjusting his grip. The rest of the Shadow Hunters followed suit.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" Surtr's face changed from confusion into fury as the entire spinning torrent of flame that was its body reached desperately to drag Emerald with it.

"THREE!" The Shadow Hunters cried out, and with one massive yank they pulled Cinder from the center of Surtr's body. Cinder came flying backward into the group, landing in a pile amidst the Shadow Hunters. As she did so, the fire that made up Surtr's body vanished, disappearing into a blue mist around Emerald who –tired but unscathed – let out a deep sigh and slumped over onto the floor.

The group immediately moved to surround Cinder, who let out a violent series of coughs. She moved to lift herself off the ground, only to find Weiss's rapier underneath her chin.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you." Weiss said, the other Shadow Hunters gathered behind her.

Without warning, the floor began to shake violently, and one of the golden columns supporting the chamber collapsed to the ground next to the gathered Hunters.

"W-wait, what's going on?" Blake said, eyes darting left and right.

"You got what you wanted." Cinder said, forlorn. She gazed off in the distance. "The Grimm Hour's over."

Each of the Shadow Hunters looked at each other with wide-eyed panic. Another column fell, this one collapsing over the summoning circle that had called Jormangandr. The massive column completely obscured the door that the group had used as an exit from view.

Emerald snapped up, seeing what was happening, and rushed over to the rest of the Hunters. She patted her pockets, seemingly coming up empty. Then she looked over the gathered Hunters and swallowed hard.

"I forgot." Emerald said, looking down.

"Forgot what?" Ruby said, glancing around. "Can't you just use that rainbow gem to get us out of here?" She shouted over the shaking of the ground. The floor was disappearing around them, collapsing into nothingness.

"I gave my Bifrost gem to the red-head."

As if on queue, a bright multicolored light enveloped the area, blinding the Shadow Hunters. When the light faded, there stood Pyrrha. She was standing in her battle gear, spear at her side as she looked over the Shadow Hunters. She looked at the gathered group, smiled a teary eyed smile, and looked into Jaune's eyes. Jaune's face opened wide in shock as he saw Pyrrha hold the gem aloft once more. It started dim, the light growing from the gem, before forming another column of rainbow colored light. The Hunters closed their eyes in response to the dazzling brightness enveloping them. As the light dissipated and they vanished from sight, what was left of the chamber vanished into utter darkness, leaving nothing behind of Muspell or the shadows that inhabited it.