3. Moonset
The waiting was filling her mind, it went through her causing the tips of her finger nails to hurt and her skin to sting. In a way she wished it to be over, at least then her restless mind would rest. The straw laden floor of the storehouse poked and itched her skin through the chemise they had thrown on her. The ropes that bound her wrists, hurt as well almost like a bite if she moved them suddenly.
Then the door burst open, a tall man approached her, Njalla shrunk from him only to look into the saddened eyes of Heath. A smile fought its way to her lips when she saw him, but she kept herself still not wanting to cause any trouble for him. A few other men filed in, the moon's rays made their shadows appear more menacing. "I'm sorry." Heath said his voice filled with a deep sadness, Njalla nodded, she let the men bind her and with that they dragged her outside. The moon was a stark white, like a ghost of a longship tossed on the grey blue clouds like the seas.
The chill caught Njalla's breath when it hit her, but she made noise or shiver, but kept her pace. They brought her to the platform now displayed with torches, a pole decorated in bones was on the west side of it as if to greet the rising moon. All the villagers again gathered to watch the cursing take place, even small children. Ofrasaa stood as an opposing black figure on the platform, she had donned a black bear skin cloak but with the head intact and her face painted, rattling bones in her hand, a great staff was in her other. Njalla was temporarily untied and stood facing the moon. "Draw the circle!" Ofrasaa yelled her voice in sadistic glee, a circle was drawn on the platform in ochre powder, around Njalla. "Bring the creature!" Ofrasaa commanded, everyone turned to see a cage being brought to the platform, it moved and struggled, Njalla didn't want to find out what was in that cage. "Remove the covering!" Ofrasaa shrieked again, two burly men removed the covering that shielded the cage to reveal an angry Night Fury! Njalla gasped and stepped back the villagers shrunk back, women clutching babies, men standing in front to protect their women. "This is your curse, you shall become and live as this dragon." Ofrasaa declared. Njalla's heart quickened and her eyes were wide, but she did not show fear. "Drage shall be your name, as Loki's payment shall you serve for the evil your people caused, you shall call Drage your home but you are a creature of nothing. To be a drage for 200 years, your soul will not die but be merged in with his. Your death will not be quick for immortality is your food and drink. Maybe Odin will show mercy on your evil soul, but you shall never enter Vahalla but be consumed by Fenris your suffering eternal!" Ofrasaa yelled as she banged her staff into the ring on the platform.
Soon a bright light shone from the circle, revealing runes and whispers, the raging Night Fury was untied and he raged into the ring. All thought he would surely eat the woman before the transformation could be complete, but he circled her unsure and hissing. Njalla felt a searing pain shoot up her arms and feet, her chest was burning. She raised her face to the heavens in a blank stare as the pain filled her body, the Night Fury rose up to meet her, soon her feet were off the ground, floating as a brilliant light shot from her eyes. The Night Fury contorted itself eyes also blazing, soon they were spinning faster and faster, a loud cracking and snapping could be heard as if they actually were being burned, Njalla couldn't hold back anymore and an unearthly scream came from her pain stricken body, it shattered all those around her. All of the dragon and Njalla moved so fast they appeared to twist, the scream became a cry, that not of a human, but of a dragon! Her body was gone, melded into a dragon, now a Night Fury, the spinning circle was still moving at an alarming rate, then it changed rapidly grabbing Ofrasaa, a voice could be heard over her screams as she was pulled in. "Disgusting creature you shall not displease us again, the treachery tonight you have committed you shall pay with your life!" The voice yelled and Ofrasaa disappeared into the spinning void, her screams still could be heard as she was thrown around.
The spinning suddenly stopped, Ofrasaa was gone and all that was left was a scorch mark from where her finger nails, where she had tried to hold onto the platform. In the place of Njalla and the dragon was a dark, Night Fury, the villagers screamed and yelled in terror, the Night Fury let out a terrible shriek and blew a lighting like ball of fire igniting the platform. An angry roar ripped from its jaws, it then took to the sky and flew off, leaving the village in terror and engulfed in flames.