I shook my head, trying to clear the dizzying feeling that gripped me. My muscles tensed, and I glared at the dragon before me, my voice low and snarl-filled. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

The dragon's grin only widened, his eyes gleaming with a chilling knowing. "I am Darkstalker, as I told you just now."

Before I could react, the giant black dragon's talon shot out like a lightning strike, resting just beside my head. I froze, heart hammering in my chest. "Don't you believe me, dear?"

Then, without warning, the world around me began to warp. My vision blurred, and suddenly, a sharp pain sliced through my skull. Stars exploded before my eyes, swirling with a chaotic frenzy. I gasped for breath as images poured into my mind—fragments of memories that were not my own, faces I had never seen before. The visions were sharp and cold, their darkness wrapping around me like a heavy cloak.

"Let them wash over you, darling," Darkstalker's voice came again, smoother now, almost soothing. "They're not dangerous, they're memories of our past together."

The words echoed in my ears as I struggled to hold onto myself, the intense sensations threatening to drown me.

The visions slowly began to recede, fading away like smoke in the wind. I stumbled back, gasping for breath as the weight of the images lifted from my mind. My heart pounded, still reeling from what I had just experienced.

Darkstalker's voice was soft, almost tender, as he spoke again. "Do you see? We were in love once, you and I." His smile was both knowing and sorrowful, a mix of sweetness and something darker lurking beneath.

"You were my clarity," he continued, stepping closer. "The light I'd searched for, the one I'd finally found."

His words hung in the air like a strange lullaby, sweet and hypnotic. I wanted to believe him, but something deep within me screamed that this wasn't right. The way he said it... like it was all fated, as if he'd always known we were meant to be.

"I never knew anyone called Darkstalker," I snarled, my voice sharp and laced with defiance. I flicked my tail, a clear sign of my growing anger. "I belonged to the humans once. To the Targaryen Empire. Now, I am free. No one—not even another dragon—will ever claim me again."

I stood tall, my wings half-spread, ready to face whatever Darkstalker had to throw at me. The memories he tried to force upon me were fading, but the fire of my freedom still burned hot in my chest. He might think he could manipulate me with words, but he had no idea who he was dealing with.

Darkstalker let out a deep, almost mournful sigh. He reached up, his long talon brushing against something I hadn't noticed before—a strange earring dangling from his right ear. It wasn't a typical jewel, but a loop made of tightly wound animal bones, twisted and knotted together. His touch lingered on it for a moment before he spoke again.

"Well then," he said, his voice low and almost regretful. He tapped the earring gently. "I didn't want to make you love me by force, but you've given me no choice."

A chilling smile spread across his face as he reached out, his talon grazing my forehead in a gesture both unsettling and tender. "Now, sleep, my love."

The world around me began to spin, the ground shifting beneath my feet. My body grew heavy, and I could no longer keep my eyes open. Everything blurred, the darkness closing in like a thick fog, until finally, I slumped to the ground, my body meeting the cold, unforgiving black earth.