"What? Why is he counting down?" Chrysalis asks, blinking. "Renew his mind control, now!" She hisses, broadcasting her orders to every changeling.
"Four. Three." The. Changelings rushed at him. "Two. One." They were swarming him, and many managed to successfully use the spell on him, but the command still initiated, causing the changelings to fight each other. It was absolute chaos. Riposte's subconscious was busy fighting back the control, but still impressed at the results.
Chrysalis looks around, growling. "Stop right this instant! The ponies are your enemies, idiots!" She screams.
Riposte consciously broke free of the control, and began projecting his magic. The ring was electrocuting him while he was doing this. He was screaming in agony, but through sheer force of will, he kept going. Suddenly, the ring cracked. He kept going, and the crack expanded. "This pain is nothing compared to the guilt I'd feel if I let my client down." The ring broke, and raw magic exploded out of his horn, knocking back the changelings and kicking up dust. When the dust settled, a blinding white power was encompassing him. He summoned hundreds of weapons and levitated them around him. "I will count to three before rendering judgement. Back down, and I will let you leave with your lives. If not, I wish you luck in the next world."
The changelings back away, looking at each other. The hive mind was filled with fear. Chrysalis growls, landing next to her troops. "What are you doing, you imbeciles? Attack him, now!"
"Attack!" Chrysalis orders. Most of the changelings back off, then fly away as quickly as they could.
"Two. This is your final chance to surrender." His weapons glowed with magic, indicating that they were ready to fly.
The remaining changelings look around. "We surrender." An officer says. "What? No, you will not surrender..." Chrysalis says. "You cowards."
"You may leave. Don't let me see you back here again." Said Riposte to the officer and his troops. He directed his weapons within inches of Chrysalis. "This is your past chance."
The officer and his troops fly off, the same way that they came. Chrysalis glances at the weapons, then sighs. "Fine. I surrender." She says. At least she would have one changeling under her control again, that stupid scout. She would reconnect him, and start over.
"Good. Now. Don't EVER come back." Riposte dispersed his weapons, and walked back into town square to see Braeburn. "How many casualties?"
Chrysalis scoffs, flying off. Braeburn looks up from bandaging his hoof. "About 50 of our troops, and 5 of the civilians who didn't make it out in time." He says, sighing.
Riposte sighs. "You can keep the reward money. Ensure they all have a proper funeral. Don't worry about the injured, I've called a great doctor. He'll be here on the hour." Riposte's emergency contact crystal started vibrating. "Excuse me, I have a call." He accepted the call. It was a priority message sent from the Hunting Guild to all S Rank or higher hunters. "Jhen Mohran, the Elder Dragon of Earth has awoken from it's slumber, creating a massive sinkhole in the middle of the Badlands. It has set a course for Manehatten. All hunters hearing this are REQUIRED in the emergency base camp outside of Manehatten." Fear came over Riposte. "Why I am I shaking like this?! I've fought its kind before..." He collapsed in the middle of the road.
Braeburn rushes over to Riposte, blinking. "What... Hello?" He asks, poking him. He picks him up, carrying him to the Sheriff's office, surprised to see Dark still chained up.
Riposte awoke about 30 minutes later, to see a doctor tending his wounds. He pressed his prosthetic against his forehead. "Sorry about that." He got up, and stretched a bit. "Free that Changeling." He said, as he walked to the train station. The doctor urged him to get back in bed, but Riposte waved his hoof, and stopped the doctor from approaching him. He showed his Hunter License to the Ticketmaster, who allowed him on the Hunter's Train. "The Hunter's Train is now setting course for the Emergency Jhen Mohran Base Camp!" Yelled the conductor, a veteran hunter himself. Riposte sat in the back of the car, seeing many faces, some he recognized, some he didn't. The train took off at a blinding pace. (I was thinking you could have your own hunter OC here and we chat on the train there.)
