A cynical sellsword joins forces with a mysterious traveler to conceal a wish-granting treasure when he learns that the King who hired him to find it will use it to become an all-powerful tyrant.

The protagonist should never be forced to go on his quest. He MUST go willingly into the second act.

I feel like I’m missing some information. Who is the crown fighting? Surely everyone is questing after this? We need to understand why it’s so important the travellers get there first. What happens if the crown gets it? Basically, we need to know what’s at stake.

The problem is with wish-granting artefacts is that it could just be the ultimate deus ex machina. Aladdin works because nobody knows he has it, he can be selfish if he wants and nobody will judge him but himself (and the genie, a rug, and a monkey obvs) – neatly giving him his arc. Thanos works because he wants only one thing. No wishing for more wishes. He doesn’t want the power, even going so far as to destroy it. So without knowing what the goal is for the wishes on either side of the equation, it’s difficult to know what this is really about. The goal isn’t to get the treasure – it’s what you do with it next. I think the reader needs that piece of info.

Surely a wish-granting treasure doesn’t need to be weaponised. You just wish your enemies gone. You don’t need weapons anymore.

Does he go from cynic to believer?

Hope this helps in some way.