Ruby looked worriedly at her sister, noting her knees curled up to her chest and her harsh breathing.
Her sisters mind was coming through like a static radio, making to hard to her to catch what Lyra was thinking through the bond.
Still there… Never escaped…all illusions…
Ruby's heart broke for her sister, but dutifully turned back to Lyra's worried mate and remaining son.
"Her thoughts are come to me like a staticky radio, I'm only getting bits and pieces. The only other time Lyra's thoughts came through like this was when she lost you. She thinks she trapped back with Braun, and that all of this" she waves her hand around the diner "isn't real".
"What can we do to help her?" Neal asked.
She was going to reply just as Lyra shouted clear through the bond.
"The Balefire Spell. Do it. Now!
Ruby dove to the nearest table, palm stinging as she slapped it down and chanted
Rumplestitskin,Baelfire,Ruby Red
Hear me now as these words are said
Protect everyone in this domain
Contain the White Queen and her pain.
A bright gold glow blinded her, but after her vision cleared, she saw a dome of gold, containing her sister and the magic that exploded out of her.
Rumplestitskin studied the magic around his mate, trying to ignore the thrumming of the bond urging him to get to his mate.
"Poppa, what is it? Is momma going to be ok?"
He turned to his son,hands in his pockets to disguise how his hands had curled into fists,his magic aching to releasing itself on the bastard who cause his mate this much pain.
He noticed Regina staring at Lyra, her eyes wide.
"Your Majesty, do you recall our lesson on Burnout?" His voicing going into his Dark One Trill at the end of the question, indicating his stress.
Everyone in the diner started to get a weapon out at the trill.
"Yes, I do."
"Perhaps," He started walking around the barrier,looking for a weakness. "You'd like to reiterate what I taught you to the rest of the lovely people of Storybrooke."
"One of the first lessons Rumplestitskin taught me was on magical burnout. I came across it in one of Mother's books, and thought it sounded like something I should use when the day came to enact my revenge on Snow."
Here she glances at Snow, eyes apologetic.
"After giving me an effective demonstration," here she wrinkles her nose "Those frogs ruined my favorite dress, by the way." Her mentor flicked her finger, and she flinched as he shocked her.
"Tick-Tock, dearie. Tick-Tock."
"In magic users, our magic is strongly linked to our emotions. Usually, whomever is teaching a new magic user their magic, should also teach calming techniques. If our emotions get the best of us, we can have what's called a Burnout. All the magic in your body let out in one concentrated burst."
"Why didn't you use it then? I'm sure you would have loved too." Leroy grumbled at her.
"I would have. If the cost wasn't my life."
"So momma's going to die?!"
"No Bae. Because of the protection spell Ruby enacted, as long as this dome is up, she'll be safe."
Ruby spoke up "But you'd need to get to her, and soon. If Lyra is convinced this is an illusion, the protection spell will break."
She looked at her sister.
"And she looks like she has enough magic to wipe Storybrooke off the map."