The city thrummed with chaos as neon lights flickered against glass towers and streets slick with rain. The acrid scent of burning wires mingled with the tang of adrenaline. Sirens wailed in the distance, but they couldn't drown out the pounding of my heart—or the unsettling hum coming from the glowing plant clutched tightly in my arms.

Potenus.

I hadn't believed it was real until I saw it for myself, locked in a glass case at the underground botanical auction. Rumors had painted it as a myth—some ancient plant that could alter minds, bend reality, or maybe even unravel the fabric of time. No one knew for sure. All they knew was that it was dangerous, forbidden, and priceless.

Naturally, I had to take it.

What choice did I have? My life had been circling the drain for months—debts piling up, my research funding cut, and my so-called friends scattering like leaves in the wind. Potenus was my one shot at redemption, or at least survival.

I just hadn't expected to steal it under gunfire.

"Stop him!" a voice bellowed from behind me. Heavy boots pounded against the wet pavement.

I ducked into a narrow alley, my lungs burning as I sprinted past graffiti-covered walls and rusted dumpsters. Potenus throbbed in my grip, its tendrils pulsing with an otherworldly glow that illuminated the shadows. I could feel its energy seeping into my skin, making my senses sharper, my thoughts quicker.

The alley dead-ended at a chain-link fence. I didn't slow down. Adrenaline surged through me as I leaped, my fingers catching the top of the fence. I swung myself over just as bullets tore through the air, sparking against the metal.

I hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact. Potenus let out a high-pitched hum, vibrating violently in my arms.

"Easy, easy," I whispered, as if talking to a frightened animal. The plant's glow dimmed slightly, but I could still feel its raw, untamed power thrumming through me.

The agents were relentless. Dressed in black tactical gear, their faces obscured by helmets, they moved like shadows, efficient and deadly. I had seen them at the auction—government operatives or mercenaries, I wasn't sure which. All I knew was that they wanted Potenus, and they were willing to kill for it.

One of them vaulted the fence with terrifying ease. He landed in a crouch, his eyes locking onto mine.

"Give it up," he growled, leveling a sleek energy rifle at my chest.

I tightened my grip on Potenus. "Sorry, I'm kind of attached."

Before he could fire, the plant pulsed violently. A shockwave rippled through the alley, distorting the air like heatwaves. The agent was thrown backward, slamming into the fence with a sickening crunch.

I stared at Potenus, my breath hitching. What the hell was this thing?

There was no time to wonder. More agents were closing in, their shouts echoing off the alley walls. I took off again, zigzagging through backstreets and dodging surveillance drones that buzzed overhead like angry hornets.

As I rounded a corner, Potenus pulsed again, this time sending a jolt of energy through my body. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I saw things—fractured images of places and people I didn't recognize. A sprawling jungle bathed in golden light. A woman with eyes like molten silver. And something else—something dark and ancient, watching from the shadows.

The visions faded as quickly as they came, leaving me breathless and disoriented. But one thing was clear: Potenus wasn't just a plant. It was alive, aware, and far more powerful than I had imagined.

And now I was bonded to it.

The realization sent a chill down my spine, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it. Not with death on my heels.

Ahead, I spotted an old drainage tunnel partially obscured by ivy. Without hesitation, I ducked inside, the cold, damp air wrapping around me like a shroud. I pressed my back against the wall, my breath ragged as I listened for the agents.

Silence.

For now, I was safe.

I looked down at Potenus, its glow softening to a gentle pulse. Whatever I had gotten myself into, there was no turning back.

And if I wanted to survive, I'd have to figure out what Potenus wanted