“Surely you know by now,” Margrave said. “Surely you’ve been listening. When the final ley lines are broken, the final iteration of this town will disappear. The multiverse abhors a vacuum; whomever breaks that last line will be able to create a new Deerton, for every world, perfect in every detail.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” Ruby said, darkly, head lowered.

“It’s been done before,” replied Margrave, airily.

“You’ve seen it?”

A flicker of…something…flitted across Margrave’s face. “No.”

“What if all you’re building is a black hole instead of your perfect world?” Ruby said. “What if it’s all for nothing?”

“My dear, nothing is preferable to this miserable burg as it is. I will remake an eternal, shining, perfect Deerton. But if I do not, I will at least have the consolation of having erased it from existence.”

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