Two Sides

The group stopped to rest for a moment, looking back toward the belching peak of Mt. Samekh as the enormous dragon with starlight wings burst forth from the mouth of the volcano, just ahead of the eruption of molten earth.
Asaag, clearly disappointed, shook his head, "That's one less star. Let's hope this doesn't cause any problems. Come on." Turning, he prepared to move on.
"They could have made it out, though, we should be wary. My brother has always been a survivor." The lithe Gaskh woman loomed over Asaag's shoulder, with one of their hostages, a younger Lizardfolk attached to her at the hip, peering from under her cloak.
"Then let's hope he's learned to swim in lava, shall we?" Asaag's cold, mithless smile never reached his eyes, though it's clear he gained some measure of amusement from Rhoz'Khesk's reaction. "Explain yourself to the runt there, so we can get moving. We don't have time for these pleasantries as it is." With that, Asaag moved off the road, heading toward the place they had made camp there some weeks ago.
Turning with some precision, Rhoz knelt before the smaller Lizardfolk, who pulled away slightly once he was faced to face with the skull that was her mask. She hastily removed it, tossing it to the side of the road. He stared for a moment in deep concentration before addressing him with some hesitation, "Bruz, I don't think you remember me - you were barely a hatchling last time I saw you. Do you remember the storm? The one that hit the town a few years ago?" With wide eyes, Bruz nodded sharply. "Well, that day, I got stuck down by the docks, and when the boulder fell, well," she trailed for a moment, remembering, "I almost drowned in the lakem but something happened. There was this thing, a being of some sort, and it told me that I could live, but that I would have to take charge of my own life afterward, that I would have to exchange what was left of my childhood for a chance to live."
"A Narrative, dear. They're called Narratives." Shaze approached from behind Rhoz. She gave Bruz a soft smile, though her eyes retained a great deal of gravity.
Rhoz simply nodded in response, before returnign her attention to Bruz, "My Narrative saved me, but it had to make me older, so I would be strong enough to swim to safey. It helped me save a couple of other people too, but when I was finally able to get to shore, I didn't have any strength left. Shaze and Asaag found me. They helped me get my strength back, and took me to their home. I...learned a lot of things with them. Asaag is cold, I know, but him and Shaze have a very important job to do, and I'm trying to help them. But I need your help too. Do you want to help me save the world?"
With that Bruz's eyes went even more wide and he nodded emphatically, "Y-Yeah! Let's do it!"
Derrick, who had been standing by in silence, spoke from a distance, "You can't possibly consider placing that sort of responsibility on this child! He's done nothing to deserve being dragged along in this. Let him go back to his family - I should be hostage enough for you!"
Rhoz looked over his shoulder as the molten earth poured forth from the volcano in the distance. She covered her brother's ears, "I may be all the family he has left, old man."
Derrick looked on in horror as the searing wave made its way down the mountain's side. "What have I done?"
Shaze moved past Rhoz and Bruz to put a hand on his shoulder, a solemn look overtaking her countenance, "I know it's horrible that this thing has happened, Derrick, and I know that this won't make it any easier, but you should know: If we don't complete our mission, it will cost the world a great deal more than the village of Galtar. We need your help to find the places where these stars belong. I can't guarantee that we'll be safe, but even if it costs us everything, we have to try."
Derrick blinked the tears from his eyes, doing his best to gather his regular scholarly composure, "What proof do you have? I've been studying the stars most of my life, and seen nothing supporing what you say."
Shaze nodded an areement, "We're headed north. I'll get you your proof in Sravine. For now, Bruz, are you hungry? I think I still have some fish we can grill, and some spices that I know you've never had!"
Bruz looked to his stomach, imagining a growl coming from it before nodding enthusiastically.