The silver sky above the Eternal Garden darkened with thick clouds. The wind brought with it the scent of burned wood and bitter earth, and every step Emiren took echoed in the empty silence. The path he walked on had changed: it had widened, its surface cracking from the heat rising from beneath the ground.
Ahead, through the dense tangle of black trees, appeared a red glow. It was the same branch that Aliana had warned him about. Its light was different: not warm and life-giving, but aggressive, burning everything around it.
Emiren felt something shift within him, the weight of his choice pressing down on him. He stopped at the edge of a ravine, from which heat was rising and the air shimmered. Before him stood the very branch—massive, like a column, burning with bright red flames. But this was no ordinary flame. It changed everything it touched, making the earth crack, and the surrounding space waver as if it were breathing.
The Voice of the Branch
— You have come, — the branch spoke, its voice a mix of wind howling and fire crackling. — You have come to decide whether I will burn out or live.
Emiren shuddered. He knew this would be difficult, but he hadn’t expected the branch to speak to him.
— What are you? — he asked, stepping closer.
— I am what was created by your ancestors and left without care. I am the consequence that seeks its cause. I am the future, which you must either preserve or let perish.
The branch flickered, and before Emiren, scenes began to unfold. He saw a world created by this very branch. A great city with towers that reached the sky, people living in harmony with nature, and unseen mechanisms that controlled the flow of time. But the vision changed: the city became engulfed in smoke, its streets filled with ruins, and through them, sharp roots broke through.
— Why are you burning? — Emiren asked, clenching his fists.
— I was set alight by choices once made. The Creator who made me sought full control over time, but lost connection with me. Without care, I became chaos. And now you stand here to decide whether this world will return to life or turn to ashes.
Emiren’s Doubts
Emiren felt the internal struggle intensifying. This world had the potential to become great, but was it worth restoring when its roots were full of pride and betrayal?
At that moment, Aliana appeared. She stepped out from behind the trees, her eyes glowing with the same red light as the branch.
— Emiren, — she said. — You have a choice. If you restore this branch, you risk opening the door to new conflicts. But if you let it burn, you will destroy its chance of resurrection forever.
— What will happen if I let it burn? — Emiren asked.
— This world will disappear. But the flame will consume part of the other branches, creating instability throughout the Garden. It’s a choice between immediate chaos and long-term risk.
Emiren hesitated.
The Decision and the Sacrifice
He stepped closer to the branch. Its heat was unbearable, but he felt its energy flowing toward him like a cry for help.
— I will not let you burn, — he finally said.
Emiren raised his hands, and golden light from his palms embraced the branch. He gave part of his own power to calm the flames. The branch cracked, and embers fell, but gradually the fire began to subside. Silence fell, and the surrounding space became calmer.
But the price was high. Emiren felt his strength draining away. His vision began to blur, and his legs gave way beneath him.
— This is just the beginning, — Aliana said, supporting him. — You have saved one branch, but now it depends on you. Your choice will lead to consequences you don’t yet know.
Emiren looked up and saw that where the burning branch had been, new leaves began to glow with golden light.
— You chose life, — the branch whispered, now calm.
A New Understanding
When Emiren emerged from the ravine, he understood that his role in the Garden had changed. He was no longer just a traveler or a student—he had become a creator, whose actions would determine the fate of entire worlds.
And though the decision had drained him, it brought with it a new power: the ability to hear the voices of the branches more clearly than before.
— This will not be your last sacrifice, — Aliana said, looking into his tired eyes. — But remember, each choice brings you closer to understanding the truth.
Ahead of him, a new path awaited, but now it was not solitary. The light of the restored branch illuminated his way.