Adam stood silently in front of the tree. He had already paid for two wishes—his father's memory, and the joyful moments of his life. Now, his third wish burned inside him, a mixture of fear, greed, and curiosity.
"I wish… all my failures and fears vanish," he whispered.
The branches suddenly glowed. A terrifying sound filled the air, as if a thousand souls were screaming. Shadows swirled around Adam. He felt energy coursing through his body, yet a part of his soul seemed trapped in the tree's roots.
Suddenly, Adam saw—his loved ones, friends, family, all the love he had known, fading like smoke outside of his memory. The cost of the third wish was so terrifying, he realized—if he completed it, Adam would never be the same again.