The Ghoul King appears to be conferring with Cade, his head of security. It appears there seems to be some element of the ritual which is not proceeding to his liking... You are also perplexed by why he has not simply released the chain and dropped Annabel into the molten Slag Pit already, or even just pushed or thrown her into the fire... does the Ghoul King have to obtain her willing consent and obeisance first, as part of the sacrifice? Or is something else missing? You can see the heavily armoured form of Cade pointing at you and gesticulating vehemently, as if he is trying to exhort the Ghoul King to take some simpler, more direct action.
Curiously, the Ghoul King turns to you, ignoring Annabel. In his rasping, hoarse and ghastly drawl of a voice, the Ghoul King explains:
- I want to show you what is at stake here. You think it is just some dead Sign, some forgotten joke of a tourist attraction. The Sign is so much more. It shows what things could be - it shows what people should believe. What everyone desires, what all should wish for - the best version of themselves, not just the most beautiful or handsome-looking, but the best, the bravest and most heroic presentation of themselves, amongst the cherished memories of those they love, belonging in the greatest place, living the beautiful Dream. Without the Sign, people have no hope. That's true horror - no hope. So we have to sacrifice our youth before we learn what the Sign means - so what? You've seen what the world looks like without the Sign. It's killing, savagery, darkness, degradation, misery. There is no need for it, the barbaric misery of it - the Sign can take it all, absorb the re-enactments of all the suffering! It has so much beauty and joy and delight which it can give - we just need to give it this one thing in return...
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