"Reynold, you're really testing my patience!" Roland grumbled as he dodged another set of thorns that seemed to appear out of nowhere beneath his feet.

"Injustice, Your Highness! How was I supposed to know there was a giant bear in that cave?" Reynold replied, his voice filled with regret as he followed closely behind Roland.

"Roar!" The growl of the enraged bear behind them spurred the two men to pick up the pace.

"I mean, even a fool knows that elves don’t live in caves!" Roland shot back, exasperation dripping from his words.

"Now that you mention it, we're probably drawing more attention from the orcs running like this than we would have if we were on horseback!" Roland glanced back at the massive Earth Bear pursuing them.

The Earth Bear, a formidable beast with the size and strength of a mountain, possessed earth magic that made it even more dangerous. Its thick, dragon-like hide could withstand even the most powerful attacks. Yet, despite this knowledge, Reynold had led them straight into its lair, waking the hibernating male from its deep sleep.

"This forest has never felt more dangerous," Roland muttered, annoyed, as he launched a burst of energy from his sword, only for the bear to shrug off the attack.

"Why did you attack it, Your Highness?" Reynold asked, his face pale as he barely avoided another thorny trap.

"That hide could make excellent armor," Roland said, his tone betraying his longing. "And the bear paw, wrapped in honey and roasted…"

"Your Highness, we're about to be killed, and you're thinking about food?" Reynold stared at Roland in disbelief, unable to comprehend his priorities. Lagrandians didn’t share Roland’s peculiar fondness for exotic dishes, something Roland had retained from his past life, where he had only ever seen pictures of bear paws—bears being protected animals back then.

"How long have we been running from this thing? Isn't it tired yet?" Roland panted, glancing back at the relentless bear.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"If only Carlos were here," Roland sighed, missing his loyal companion. Carlos was strong, obedient, and most importantly, never got them into this kind of trouble.

"In this dense forest, even Carlos would have a hard time, even with a dragon," Reynold replied.

"We can't seem to shake this beast," Roland said, frustration evident in his voice.

"Unless we find a river…" Reynold suggested weakly.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Roland grumbled, his feet still moving at a brisk pace.

For a moment, it seemed like there would soon be two fewer Paladins in the world.

"Wait, it’s slowing down," Reynold observed, noticing the bear’s pace dropping from a run to a cautious walk. The bear suddenly stopped after crossing a large tree, sniffing the air nervously. Then, as if sensing danger, it turned and lumbered away, disappearing into the forest.

"It’s gone?" Roland asked, surprised.

"We might be in bigger trouble than before," Reynold said, his tone grim.

"What could be worse than that bear?" Roland was puzzled.

"Predators only abandon prey for two reasons: either they’re too tired to continue, or they’re afraid of something stronger in the area. That bear wasn’t tired," Reynold explained, swallowing hard.

"Please, no more bad news," Roland sighed, but deep down, he knew Reynold was right.

"We’re close to our destination," Roland urged, trying to stay focused. His heart raced from the marathon-like chase, and even though he was a seasoned knight, he felt drained. He wasn't looking forward to any more surprises.

"Don't worry, Your Highness, I'll be careful," Reynold promised.

"It’s you I’m most worried about," Roland muttered under his breath.

As they continued their journey, Roland began murmuring an old incantation under his breath. "The swaying sky star grass, the resurgent Mingchen flower. The shining hexagram, the low-pitched guardian..."

"Your Highness?" Reynold asked, confused.

"We need to find the sky star grass first," Roland said, scanning the area.

"But isn’t that a summer plant? How would it grow in winter?" Reynold questioned, bewildered.

"It’s the key to finding Singaray. The kingdom is hidden by a barrier, and the star grass will lead us there," Roland explained, moving forward.

Reynold scratched his head but followed Roland without further question.

"Don’t worry, the sky star grass is only visible in the dark," Roland added.

After filling their stomachs with stale bread and water, the two knights climbed into the branches of a thick tree to rest. The sun set, and the moonlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting an eerie glow over the forest.

"Wake up, Your Highness, it’s night," Reynold whispered, gently shaking Roland awake.

"Already?" Roland yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Time to get to work," he said, jumping down from the tree.

They moved through the forest in silence, scanning the ground for any sign of the sky star grass. Just when Roland began to doubt its existence, Reynold pointed excitedly to a spot near the base of a large tree.

There, weak but unmistakable, a few clumps of sky star grass swayed gently, their tiny bodies glowing softly in the moonlight, drawn towards the light of the stars above.

"It’s real!" Roland whispered in awe. If the sky star grass was here, then the autumn-blooming Mingchen flower might also be nearby.

He carefully examined the grass, noting that the cores of the plants all faced south.

"This way!" Roland motioned for Reynold to follow.

As they moved south, more clumps of sky star grass appeared, all pointing in the same direction.

"Looks like we’ll have to wait until dawn to pinpoint the entrance to Singaray," Roland said, clapping his hands. The sky star grass had done its job, and now the rest of the journey depended on their own skills and perhaps a bit of luck.