Honestly first time i try a background like this, happy with how it turned out!! This is one of my pieces for the @bg3-fate-spins-along event

My second piece for @bg3-fate-spins-along event!! Wanted to try out a more simple shading with this one

I chose to represent the 21st card of the Major Arcana: The World, finding its multiple meanings interesting and very suitable for Astarion, those being and not limited to; assured success, route, change of place, stagnation and permanence.

I used an existing card as a base and mimicked some of its visual elements (the four elements represented in the corners, the typography, and originally, a floral wreath at the center of the image, which I decided to leave out), otherwise playing around with my chosen cards meaning and the whole card thing -- well, by drawing cards! Each of the cards within the card represent a route he could choose to take, some leading to new places and adventures, and some more towards stagnation and inertia.

Overall, I had a lot of fun pondering how to represent the card's meanings, struggling with the layout in the planning phase (and loving the process) and blasting through the lineart, even managing to add in the colors on a timely manner!

My contribution is only one of many, and a lot of very passionate and talented people created their own pieces for the event, so please check them out!

The workskin was heavily influenced by @gumbabunny's Randomizer (link in fic!)

Thank you @coreene for beta'ing!

Juniper felt her heart hammering against her chest as her eyes locked onto Astarion. The anxiety that'd been brewing inside her since they stepped foot into the Szarr estate had made a home inside her stomach, folding in on itself as it grew inside her. Everything he needed to complete the ritual was in place. All he needed to do now, was bind Cazador to the rite.

The clerics thoughts began to race, wondering just what he was about to do. He had come so far since they met on the beach. But ever since they arrived in Baldur's Gate, June had noted that he had slipped back into old, familiar habits. He'd been dreaming of this moment ever since they discovered what his scars meant and what kind of opportunity the ritual presented. And now, all the power he had fantasied about was being offered to him on a silver platter.

"I can do this, but I need your help"

His voice brought June's attention back to him. Anxiety had spread throughout her body, flooding into her veins and transforming into fear as it took root. He looked like he was pleading for her help, a strange mixture of desperation and greed lingering in his facial features as his eyes softened at the sight of her.

No matter how much she had come to love him, Juniper had never been able to find a justification for the deaths of thousands of captive vampire spawn, even if they went against everything her doctrine stood for. They were still victims of Cazador, at the end of the day, these were still innocent people who deserved a chance to live again. Taking a shuddering breath, she gripped her glaive in order to keep herself steady, her knuckles turning white as her grip tightened around the handle.

"Astarion, please-".

It was clear that he was tempted by the power that the rite offered. This was his chance to be anyone he wanted to be or do anything without restriction. But the only real thing that this rite would do was chain him to a legacy of isolation and abuse. If their bond was worth anything, then she'd have to try and stop him from falling down a pit that he'd never climb out of.

Her hands began to tremble as her fear turned into desperation. "The spawn locked away are innocent! Is this a line you're really willing to cross?!" She cried.

"They all died years ago! All that's left is nothing but feral spawn" he shot back. "If we release them, how many will they kill? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands?"

There was no denying that whatever choice they made, the gravity of those consequences would linger with them forever. Releasing thousands of starving vampire spawn into the city streets would result in a bloodbath. But if he were to ascend, what would stop him from inflicting the same level of damage, if not more so onto Baldur's Gate in the future?

"But if they die and I ascend, I won't have to rely on the parasite to walk in the sun, I'll be free, truly, completely free-" He didn't look like the sharpened predator that she'd come to know, but a man who had been bearing the weight of two hundred years of despair. "Isn't that what you want?"

Gods, she hated it when he pulled that card.

Of course she wanted him to be free, that’s why she followed him down into this horrible place. His happiness and freedom was something that she'd gladly fight for. But this rite went against every religious principle and every teaching she'd ever been taught. It didn't matter if thousands of spawn were killed if it mean that something much worse would be birthed from their deaths.

Taking a deep breath, the cleric forced herself to look at him in the eye. "Please-" she whispered. Fat tears began to roll down her cheeks as her body began to shake.

"You're better than this Astarion! I know you are!" a sob threatened to bubble up from her chest. "Please! Please don't go where I can't follow!" her cries echoed through the defiled chapel, anticipation thickening as a long pause lingered in the dank air.

A hush settled over the chamber as Gale held his breath in anticipation. He had never been one to turn down the possibility of acquiring his own power in the past, but he knew all too well of the price attached to something like this. The wizard could only hope that his unlikely friend could see just how hard his partner was begging for him to stop before he made a choice that he couldn't undo.

Behind Gale, Jaheira kept her eyes locked onto the spawn, her expression stoic and unreadable. Whatever he was about to do now, would determine the fate of all of those locked away here along with his own future. Whether that future would have a happy ending for all, that had yet to be seen. If anyone could talk Astarion down from such a decision, it'd be Juniper.

Juniper flinched, letting out a shuddering gasp as she felt the psionic connection of Astarions tadpole link up to hers. The presence of his mind felt as if his fingers were gliding over the titles of book spines, eyes searching for a scanning the rows for something specific as he searched in the recesses of her mind.

While he gently sifted through her memories, she felt the knife in his hand and the hunger for power rolling across her tongue like a forbidden indulgence. The prospect of revenge and all that came with it tasted delectable, like a fine brandy. Images of his scars suddenly came rushing forward to the front of her mind, the infernal scripture dancing along her vision before burning into her eyes as an after image. As Astarions presence left her mind, a deep, sinking feeling settled into the pit of her stomach.

"Yes! Yes I see it!" Astarion glared down at his master, a sick smirk of satisfaction forming across his face as he was now armed with the knowledge that his vengeance was within reach.

June stood frozen in place as she watched Astarion throw Cazador to the ground. Ringing had filled her ears, only for the piercing, pained cries of the vampire lord filled the chamber halls as the blade dug deep into his skin and flesh. As she watched, Juniper couldn't help but note the brutal glee written across her lovers face. Despite the barbarity that was on display, she couldn't quite bring herself to stop him. Perhaps it was the sheer cruelty of his actions. Or maybe, it was the shock and disbelief that the man she'd come to love would ever violate her mind.

With a triumphant smirk and staff in hand, Astarion stood before them. With one final tap, the magic sigil under his feet flared to life with an infernal red glow, engulfing the room with it's sinister light.

"You're dealing with powers well beyond your understanding! Stop this before you do something you'll regret!"

Gales shouting had been enough to snap June out of her state of shock. She scrambled forward, rushing toward the spawn as her expression morphed into a fragile hope. There was still time. They could still prevent this from coming to pass. "Stop this madness Astarion! We can still-!"

"Don't you dare!" The red light intensified, making him appear more monster than man. "I can feel their power flowing into me!"

Frightened by the sight of him, June staggered back. With widened eyes, she watched as he began to chant, the spell tumbling from his lips with ease. It was Cazador's cries that cut through the chanting first, prompting June's attention to turn to him. His body had began to undulate, as if the blood inside of him was trying to escape. His screaming grew higher and higher as his face twisted with agony.

Soon, it wasn't just the masters screams, but all of the spawn in the circle and outside of the ritual chamber. They began to coalesce throughout the dungeon, mixing together to create a horrible requiem song before sickening pops! cut through the screams. One by one, Astarion's siblings began to pop like mosquitos that were fat with blood, exploding into piles of viscera and meat. Junes eyes remained glued on the vampire lord as he struggled, his screaming becoming gargled before he joined his spawn with one final pop. Prompting an end to the suffering and leaving the chamber to settle in an eerie, suffocating quiet.

As the red glow died down, the ascendant stood alone, victorious as a lake of blood rippled under his feet.

Juniper didn't know how to react. A numbness had come over her as the images of spawn turning into puddles of gore and goo burned into her memory. The metallic scent of blood assaulted her nose, bringing on a wave of nausea. Her hand shot up to her mouth in an effort to force back the bile that threatened to come up her throat, the other pressing against her stomach as her knees turned to jelly.

"That ache in my stomach, that hunger-it's gone!" He sounded so happy, so relieved. She would've been happy for him, if not for all the carnage that he left behind and the price he paid. "I'm free. I'm finally free! Oh it feels delicious!".

"I can't believe you just did that…" Her words mumbled from her lips without much thought, when she looked at him, she could only find herself feeling a mixture of shock and revulsion.

The Ascendant looked at her with a smug smirk of elation, his head held high as the afterglow of the ritual radiated off of him. The way his eyes gleamed an eerie red revealed his true nature. "I did. We did" he stated.

But did they? Last June checked, she hadn't consented to him flipping through her memories like they were the pages a book.

Despite her expression coming off as cautious and measured, a rage sparked in the pit of her belly as the gravity of everything came crashing down upon her. How could he even say such a thing?! He forced himself into her mind, got what he needed, and now he was basking in his sweet, beautiful revenge. He was the one that ended all of these lives! And for what?! So that he could feel big? So that he could feel in charge for once?! Did he really think that that was going to satisfy him!?

A bitter laugh escaped June as she ran her hand through her hair, her mind still trying to connect the pieces together in vain as she attempted to understand just how they got to this point. All the while, the Ascendant was so caught up in his own victory to notice that the woman who once loved him was going through all five stages of grief.

June jumped at the sensation of a hand on her shoulder, her attention turning to her right as her eyes met Gales. A grim understanding settled between the two as the wizard looked at her, knowing that what Astarion had just done couldn't simply be hand waved away. Tears pricked the corners of Junes eyes, finding it difficult not to crumble into her friends arms and sob. The Astarion she knew was dead, and this thing took his place and had the audacity to wear his face.

"Can we get out of here? Please?" June muttered. The sooner they made it back to the Elfsong, the sooner she could repent and then drown her sorrows in liquor.

"I couldn't have said it any better myself! Come on! I have a brand new world to explore!" She winced at the sound of the Ascendants voice. Clenching her teeth, she forced himself to look at him. Any adoration that she had for him had evaporated the moment he became this monster. He was just so… giddy with his supposedly new found freedom, there was so much death around them, and he was just so infuriatingly blind to it.

The party walked through the defiled chapel in silence. Though every step took more effort than the last for the cleric. Her knees wobbled like jelly while her feet felt as if they'd been encased in cement. At one point, Jaheira held her steady, pushing her to press on. "There's not much you can do now cub. Just move forward, we still have work to do". If only it was so easy.

Upon arrival to the Elfsong, the cleric simply shucked off her armour and began to wander to her shared suite like a zombie. The ringing in her ears made her deaf to her companions, she was far too exhausted to answer their questions or give them any of her attention. This just wasn't the time where she could play the role of the leader, not after everything that just happened.

The door behind her closed with a soft clunk. Without having any attention on her, Junes body seemed to move on it's own. She went through the motions of changing, but there was no deliberation or thought put into her actions. She hardly registered the linen against her skin, nor the soft tugging of her brush as she combed her hair.

For a time, she remained sitting in front of her mirror, becoming lost in the reflection. It wasn't long for her to catch little hints of the person she once loved. His old white shirt lingered on the bed post. The novel he'd been reading remained open on the night stand. On the closet door hung a green night gown that he had "bought" for her from Figaro's. When she had questioned him about it after it mysteriously appeared in their suite, Astarion had told her that it was "compensation for his unexpected rescue".

Her gut began to twist, bringing Juniper back to the present. The thought of ever sharing a bed with that monster made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Being in this shared space made June feel smothered, overwhelmed by the sudden changes and the loss of who her loved used to be. Rising from her stool, June scrambled to the bedroom door and slipped passed her companions before making her way toward the hatch roof.

A soft, chilly breeze came to greet Juniper as she found herself on the roof top of the tavern. Despite the noise of the city, it was quiet enough that she was able to take a deep breath. Slowly, she made her way to the railing, sneaking a glance down at the street below. The lower city was painted with all walks of life. From mothers getting off of a late shift, to fishermen, vagrants, and even the flaming fist. All of which were going about their day, unaware of the monster that she created or the horrors that took place underneath their feet mere hours ago.

Her grip tightened around the railing as her face twisted with frustration. How could she ever be considered a hero? Or Malus' chosen for that matter?

"He shouldn't have been allowed to live, why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?" Sparing him on the night he revealed himself to her was already against everything she'd been taught. She took the chance because she thought that there was someone in there who was a victim, a person who needed a helping hand. He just looked so afraid that night, and while he hadn't been easy to be around, she wasn't one to leave someone to struggle even if they'd never shown her kindness before. 

"You're so stupid June. You should've known better than to trust him" He played her bleeding heart like a fiddle. Of course, it wasn't enough that she spared his life, she laid with him and allowed him to drink her blood. In doing so, she had sullied herself by being with something that was unclean and evil. The undead spat in the face of everything her god stood for, and she had been so blinded by the love she had for him that he had made heresy seem acceptable.

The nausea from earlier came over her like a wave, causing June to stumble. Her grip on the railing righted her, but that didn't stop the floodgates as she heaved. Images of Cazador's face and the screams of all of those who'd been locked up for hundreds of years bombarded her as she wretched off the side of the railing, her knees buckling as weakness settled over her muscles.

This wasn't what she wanted, this wasn't supposed to happen. And now, a new predator was free to do whatever he pleased. They'd kill the brain, and then what? In Gortash's death, there'd be a power vacuum, one that Astarion would more than likely take advantage of. Yet another monster would take their place, and he was just as subtle and as sinister as the the influence of the Absolute. Maybe he was just as dangerous too…

"Fuck-" she muttered. Gathering her composure, June forced herself to stand and steady herself. This was all too much. She failed him, she failed her god. This wasn't just something that she could fix with a holy spell or a soft prayer. She'd have to make up for this mistake in some meaningful way. As she wiped the bile off her chin, her mind tired to imagine what that fix would look like. The Ascendant would have to die. Sparing him meant death on a large scale, his influence could spread beyond the sword coast, he was certainly ambitious enough. Gods, and there was no telling what he could do once he had a full understanding of his powers.

"I was wondering where my flower had wandered off to"

June's shoulders tensed as she felt his lips up against her ear. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't stop her heart from hammering against her chest. Steeling herself, she turned to meet the monsters face, slipping on a mask of composure as she did so. She knew that she wouldn't be able to hide away from him for very long.

"I thought you'd be down stairs celebrating" her tone was measured and steady. While she knew that ending him was her only option, initiating a fight now was a horrible idea.

A pompous chuckle escaped him, his grin spreading across his face. "Oh my sweet-" He moved to graze her cheek. His skin had an uncanny warmth that hadn't ever been there before. His touch was tender, bordering on sweet. But she didn't dare lean into it. "How could I celebrate when my consort isn't by my side?"

"Consort?" What the hells did he mean by that?

"Of course! You're the one person I'd ever want to share this gift with, and perhaps, I'll be able to extend Mephistopheles' blessing onto you"

June tensed at the implication. It'd been bad enough that she had allowed herself to love him, but to be turned? It'd be throwing her life away. The Spring lord would disown her, the very people who raised and loved her would see her with the same revulsion as she sees toward him. "I see…And what if, I didn't want to be your consort?"

"Don't be stupid darling, of course you do" he offered her a smug smirk that dripped with condescension. "Nothing will stand in our way once the brain is taken care of, everything we ever wanted will be ripe for the taking. Including Baldur's Gate"

The cleric stood there with her brows knitted together. He really thought that she'd just follow him to the ends of the earth? She had loved him, but the fact that he expected her to relinquish her principles showed that he might've not known her as well as she thought he did.

"This is it after all, I've managed to achieve the hopeless dream dreamt by all of my kind"

"And? Are you happy? Now that you've gotten your revenge?" despite her best effort, Juniper wasn't able to mask the bitter venom that lingered on her words.

"I am the greatest vampire to walk this earth. The only thing that'd make me happier is you by my side" Astarion took a step forward, his eyes shining a sinister red.

Juniper swallowed thickly as she stared him down. Whatever plans he had envisioned for the two of them, June knew that it'd spell a future where she'd be shackled inside a gilded cage, to be paraded around like some fine jewellery and forced to live in an existence that was neither life or death. It was promises of misery gift wrapped in gold leaf.

"No. I'm not going to go through with what you're demanding of me"

A bewildered laugh escaped the Ascendant, surprised that she would slap away a hand that was offering her such a gift. "Need I remind you that what we did was a joint effort? This power is for us"

"You forced your way into my mind to find what you needed" she seethed. The longer she looked at him, the more she couldn't stand him. "But that's just the start of it" She took her own step forward, getting in his face as her eyes burned hot with rage.

"Do you really think that after what you did, I'd want any part of your visions of grandeur? The blood you have on your hands will never wash away. Those spawn you sacrificed? Those Children that you lured? They're all dead because of you!"

A bitter laugh left June as she caught the bewildered expression on the Ascendants face. "I don't think I ever crossed your mind when you were thinking about ascension. You used me Astarion! Now you sound just like Cazador"

The moment that name escaped her lips, it was as if the air had been sucked out of the roof top. Astarions gaze became intense and angry, his eyes blazing like red hot coals. With a snarl, he cornered her against the railing. "Don't you dare compare me to the likes of him" he hissed.

"I'll do as I wish" she retorted. June felt the air grow heavy as he loomed over her, his face sharp. The cleric wasn't phased by the show of dominance and power. Ascendant or not, at the end of the day, he was just a vampire, just a parasite that was trying hard to show just how big and scary he could be. A tension began to thicken the longer that they stared each other down. A spell lingered on the tip of her tongue. If he made an effort to hurt her, then she would be ready to defend herself if it ever came to that.

With a soft sigh, the Ascendant dissipated the growing hostility between them, plasting on a smug smile in the process. "I'm willing to let this transgression pass. I understand that you must be going through quite a shock. I would be too" he cooed.

"Do you hear yourself?!". the anger that she'd kept tamped down started to rise up her body. "I will never be your consort! I will not be your accessory to murder! Never again!" She spat.

The Ascendant appeared shocked for a brief moment before it morphed into a mask of disappointment. He sucked in a breath and clicked his tongue. "And here I thought that you were smart enough to see what was in front of you".

"I never wanted this! I wanted you to be free, I wanted you to do the right thing and I had hoped that you'd see that! I never cared about ascension or what it could offer us! If you weren't so blinded by your revenge, you would've seen that! I loved you as you were! But-" She had to stop herself, as her throat suddenly became tight, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Why? I'm better than he was! I'm stronger, more powerful. Why would you love someone as pathetic as he was?"

Juniper didn't know that a heart could break twice in one day. With a pained expression, she pushed him away, giving her the room to move away from him. "He might've been misguided and uncertain. But he was sweet underneath those layers of bristles, he wanted to make a new life for himself".

A shuddering sigh escaped her as she forced back her tears. "And you killed him". Crushing grief came over her as June realised that they could never go back to the way things were, no matter how much she wished to.

"You really are a disappointment pet" there was a moment of hurt that came across his face. After all they'd been through, he had thought that she'd finally see his point of view. That even in the moment he seized his power, he believed that that would be enough to convince her. Hardly anyone would ever turn an opportunity like this down, and yet, Juniper was the exception. She had always been the exception.

"If you're truly so stupid to give up what I'm offering you, then perhaps you didn't deserve it to begin with-"

"I NEVER WANTED WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING! YOU ASSUMED I DID!" A startled flock of pigeons took off into the sky as her voice pierced the low chatter of the night life below. June's body shook as she took in deep breaths, a sob bubbling up from the depths of her body. As she glared him down, she didn't know if she wanted to kill him or run off to the comfort of her friends.

"Hey? Everything good up here?" Relief came over the cleric at the sight of Karlach peeking up from under the trapdoor, thankful that someone was giving her an out of this situation.

"We're just…" June turned her attention back to the ascendant, her face hardening. "We're just ending things". Without another word, Juniper began to walk away from Astarion, her lip quivering as she balled her hands up into tight fists.

"I don't have to take this from you! You ingrate!" Astarion hissed. Venom dripped from his fangs as his face twisted with fury, clearly hurt from her verbal barbs. He had only ever seen her look at him with such disgust once before, and he never thought that he'd ever see it again. His eyes bore into her back, a part of him hoping that she'd stop in her tracks and suddenly understand, suddenly see that all of that sacrifice was for her, for them.

And for a moment, there was a spark of hope as her stride slowed to a stop. Though when she turned to face him, she appeared to be exhausted. She let out a heavy sigh, the weight on her shoulders finally dropping. "I hope you're happy with everything you've gained. I can only hope that the price was worth it for you".

Quiet settled over the roof top as Astarion watched June go back into the warmth of the tavern, closing the trap door behind her with a soft clunk. 

"It's alright, she'll come to her senses, and when she does, she'll be begging to fall back into my arms" He thought. He should've known that she would betray him eventually. Her precious god despised the undead as they were "unnatural". A part of him almost wanted to take pity on her. She could've been granted the same freedoms he had. She wouldn't have to worry about what her so called god would think, she'd no longer be bound by the expectations of her enclave, he would've given her anything she'd ever ask for while she lived in privilege in his palace...

A bitter chuckle rose from the Ascendants chest. He had his fun with her, but who needed her? She'd just been a sweet, naive little fool, nothing more, nothing less. Besides, she'd probably find love again, gods knows, Gale had been tailing her like a lost puppy since they started this grand adventure. By all means, he'd be more than happy to give the wizard his leftovers.

And when she found that a life with anyone else wasn't enough, didn't bring her the same satisfaction, she'd come crawling back. Perhaps he'll make her grovel for his acceptance, remind her exactly of what she'd been missing since she cast him away. Once she learned her lesson, he'd be more than happy to make her into his most treasured spawn. Until then, he had his new found freedom to explore, and he was going to taste every indulgence that came with it.

Bodies and blood littered the floor of the Crimson palace, the sounds of violence echoed off the halls as clerics, paladins and harpers fought against the legion of undead. Though despite all the carnage, Juniper had one target in mind as she walked toward the ballroom.

For thirty years, the Crimson Palace and it's inhabitants haunted her like a ghost. After the fall of the Netherbrain, June had chosen to stay within the city to keep an eye on the Ascendant, knowing that he'd likely dig his hooks into whatever sphere of influence that he could get his hands onto. With proof that he intended to take the city for himself, Juniper knew that this was now the time for them to act.

With a twirl of her glaive, she sliced an unfortunate spawn in half, paying it no mind as she approached the ballroom doors. Despite having become used to the weight of her mistakes, her heart still hammered in her chest. Someone wouldn’t be leaving this estate alive.

Her fingers just grazed along the grain of the wood when the set of ballroom doors swung open. The master of the house was expecting her.

The room was lit with white candles that decorated the floor, casting eerie shadows that danced along the mishmash of polished marble walls and red wall paper. What had once been a dingey old ballroom now had a facade of extravagance, as the candle light made the pops of gold reflect onto the floor. It was a tacky show of opulence and excess.

June's eyes landed onto the Ascendant who sat in his shiny wooden throne. His hand rested against his cheek, appearing almost bored before his own gaze shifted toward her. A smile spread across his face before his rose to his feet, as if he was here to greet an honoured guest rather than a would be slayer. "I was wondering when you'd come"

"You were waiting for me this whole time? Do you expect me to be flattered?"

"I might've had to…Pull some strings to get your attention" His smile became cheeky, as if he knew something she didn't. "But we both knew it'd be inevitable that it'd come to this, wouldn't it?"

Juniper let out a heavy sigh, the weight of time and regret resting against her shoulders. "You always had a knack for making things sound far more romantic than they actually are"

Astarion stepped down to the floor, watching her with the calculating eye of a predator as they began to circle each other. He noticed that the weapon in her hand had a soft golden glow, a gift from Malus no doubt. "If you think you can kill me with that little bauble you have there, you're sorely mistaken my love"

Juniper felt a twinge of irritability bubble in her chest. But despite the disrespect, she made no move to attack. She knew what he was doing, and with this fight already so emotionally charged, she was determined to not let her feelings dictate the outcome. "Of course you pay no respect for the divine" she muttered bitterly.

"Despite what you're thinking, I have no interest in fighting you. It'd only be a waste of time" She might've had divine gifts on her side, but that didn't take away the fact that he was different from the rest of his kind. The typical tricks could only work on him so much.

"How unfortunate for you. I didn't come here to negotiate"

"You've been open to at least attempting to negotiate with our previous foes, what's changed?"

June let out a bitter scoff "That was before I realised that trying to redemption for some was a waste of time"

Astarion let out a demeaning hum before picking up a sweet, herby scent. There were notes of juniper berries, nightshade, and wolfsbane…Did she coat her glaive in a homemade tincture? "Oh my, you really mean business, don't you?" he teased.

Before another taunt left the ascendants lips, she had lunged toward him with her blade raised. With a wide swing, it came down, missing him by a hair. A gleeful smile formed across the Ascendants face. Anyone who'd been foolish enough to cross him in the past hardly ever came this prepared. It'd become a bore to end their lives as there hadn't been much of a challenge. Leave it to her to be the exception.

With a laugh, Astarion brought his sharpened nails down upon her, the sting of sanctified metal meeting his palms and sizzling his skin. Of course, he didn't plan on fighting her with his full strength, he could've easily ended it with the snap of her neck. But he'd been waiting for this reunion for thirty years, he was going to savour this.

He peered over the glaive, his eyes glimmering with an intoxicated glee and excitement as lips twisted into an uncanny smile as smoke from his skin rose past his face. "Good. Murderous intent looks good on you darling"

Juniper bared her teeth before uttering a quick spell. A divine ring of gold light encircled her, giving her an opportunity to create some room between the two of them as the Ascendant staggered back from her. The smell of dead, burnt flesh filled her nostrils as he snarled at her.

"Stop it. Stop it with the pet names and stop playing with me. I'm not your food" she spat.

"But of course darling, you've always been more than food to me" he cooed. "After all, you could've had all of this"

June's expression softened into pity. After all this time, the way he viewed their love was still as twisted and debauched as it'd been when he sold all those souls to the hells. Despite everything he's gained, he was still that scared spawn in the basement. Sucking in a breath, she steeled her resolve. She knew that she'd have to end this quickly, for both of their sakes.

"You're nothing without that power. You're still as scared as you were back then. I bet you still look behind your shoulder when you're alone" Her weight shifted, her glaive primed and ready.

"No matter how hard you try to cover everything up, Cazador still haunts you, doesn't he?" Before she could blink, the Ascendant loomed above her, his face twisting into a monstrous snarl as his eyes burned with rage.

With a gasp, June found his hand around her neck, his fingers squeezing her windpipe before throwing her clear across the room. With a pained gasp, her back hit the wall, the wind knocking out of her as the wood behind her cracked and splintered. The cleric coughed and hacked as she choked for air. She tried righting herself, using her glaive for balance as her body protested, her vision coming in and out of focus as her eyes stayed locked onto her opponent. She knew that she'd never match him in terms of sheer strength, but that was never her plan to begin with.

"How dare you speak his name!" Astarions voice boomed across the ballroom, wrath radiating off of him as he stalked toward her, his fangs bared as he glared down at her.

A laugh escaped the cleric. "Tell me, does the taste of rats still linger on your tongue?"

Astarion was surprised, he had no idea that his flower had so many sharp thorns. "Who taught you to speak such cruelties? Do you intend to mock me to death?" he sneered.

"After I left, I realised something. I never loved you. You were just someone I took pity on, a pet project. Who could ever love such a weak and pathetic creature such as you?"

Her words drove a stake into the Ascendants heart. A venomous mixture of anger, hurt and betrayal came rushing through his veins. Did they truly mean nothing to her? Is that why she begged him to stop the ritual? So that he could continue to be her pet? 

June twisted her glaive, readying her body to move at a moments notice. "I hate you. I regret ever laying with a monster like you. I had seven other opportunities to be with anyone else, and I chose you" her tone dripped with disgust, her expression twisting into revulsion as she glared him down. 

A wave of fury took over the Ascendant, his bellows of rage filled the room as he surged forward, arm drawn back before his hand sliced through her midsection. The veneer of beautiful perfection that the Ascendant maintained was stained with the blood of the cleric as it splattered up his arm and across his face, his perfectly coiffed hair falling out of place and into his wide, mad eyes. Astarion drew several heavy breaths as he became grounded in the moment, realising that as he stared down at her, she didn't appear to be in terror or pain. No…Rather, she appeared to be relieved.

Tears rolled down her face, cutting through the dirt and grime that peppered her cheeks. "I'm sorry" she rasped.

Astarion blinked in surprise as realisation came flooding to the forefront of his mind. His hand was buried inside her guts. The sight brought him back to that one, horrible moment when his own master had down the same to her. Images of Cazador looming behind her, her blood blooming across her clothes as she stared at him with a mixture of terror and surprise before she crumbled to the floor before her blood pooled across stone. Nausea made a home in his stomach as he came back to the present, her warm intestines hugging his hand.

Oh gods…What had he done?!

As his mind raced to find a way to fix this, the nausea that took hold in his belly began to rapidly transform into a searing, twisting pain. With a wince, he glanced down to see a dagger embedded in his own midsection. The poisonous perfume he smelled wasn't on her glaive at all. "You idiot! Why?! Why would you-!?"

Black spots danced along Junipers vision as the pain in her stomach continued to twist inside her. Every fibre of her being was telling her to remove his hand. Clenching her teeth, she ignored her body's demands and forced her dagger further into his torso. She'd missed his heart, but that wouldn't matter once the poison filled the rest of his system. She offered him a soft, sad smile as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Do you think that in another life, we could've been happy?"

"Shut up! I can-!"

"Don't" she urged. Panic flashed across her face, knowing exactly what he was insinuating. "I'm so sorry Astarion. I…" She took a shuddering breath as her knees buckled.

Before Astarion could do anything, the searing pain in his midsection began to creep up and out throughout the rest of his system. With an angry, gargled cry, he wrenched his hand out of her guts with difficulty. A creeping, tingly numbness crept up his limbs, making them feel heavy and making it difficult to move. The nausea reached a new height as he forced himself to keep the bile down.

"What did you-?" the tingling had sneakily crept up the side of his face, making his tongue tied. The ascendants eyes widened as he doubled over, retching up a vile mixture of blood and breakfast.

Now freed from his hand, June wobbled before crumbling to the ground, her back resting against cold stone.

"I'm so sorry. I wish I made something that made it quick" she rasped. When she'd made the concoction, it was out of hatred and resentment. But now, as she stared up at the vaulted ceiling above her, she felt a haunting regret settle into her bones. No matter how much she'd deny it, there'd always been a part of her that loved him, even to the bitter end.

No matter how much Astarion tried to force himself to rush to her side, his body had become frozen in place. Her poisonous cocktail had worked it's way through his venous system, keeping him locked in his position as his guts churned. His vision had started to blur as he strained to listen for her heart beat. However, that proved to be difficult as his own heart had began to erratically beat inside his chest, thumping hard and fast against his ribs. With another painful wretch, more of his morning meal forced itself up his throat and through his mouth, staining the floor and the front of his clothes.

For some time, the two of them remained unmoving in their states of ruin. And for a moment, Astarion felt the horrible sensation of his chest tightening, that familiar, haunting sensation of death gripping his heart sent a wave of terror through his mind and body. And yet, death never came for him. Over time, his heart finally settled back into a consistent, steady beat. Followed by sensation coming back to his limbs and face. It seemed that despite Juniper's best effort to kill him, her mixture of berries and flowers hadn't quite been enough.

When he was finally able to move, he took stock of Junes condition. Her face was gaunt, her glassy eyes almost seeming to sink into their sockets while the colour in her skin had drained from her once rosy cheeks. Though, even with her on deaths door and the large puddle of blood beneath her, her heart still beat. He listened closely, noting the raspy breaths that slipped passed her chapped lips as her chest slowly rose and fell. Astarion didn't hesitate once he realised that she was still alive.

His teeth sunk into her wrist first. It'd proven troublesome to not fall into temptation and drain her outright. He hadn't had the privilege of tasting her in so long, and her flavour always reminded him of a sweet, lavender honey wine.

With a grunt, he forced himself away from her wrist before travelling up to her shoulder before sinking his teeth into her once more before moving to her neck. His hand travelled up to the back of her head, cradling it gingerly before sinking his teeth into her flesh for a third and final time. A faint moan of protest escaped her, but she made no move to force herself away from him, she'd been far too weak to try such a thing.

Despite the bitterness that'd been left behind as they went their separate ways, Astarion had never wished death upon her. The hurt had remained, festering in his heart as her face crossed his mind. And yet, with each passing night where he had laid with someone else, every time he hosted a soiree or debauched revelry, his mind would always wander back to the cleric who'd showed him patience and mercy. He had only ever hoped to return her kindness in the only way he'd ever known. Even if she protested by kicking and screaming, insisting that this wasn't what she wanted, Astarion was determined not to allow her to die. Not now, not ever.

The Ascendants work wasn't yet complete. As he cradled the clerics head in his lap, Astarion's nail extended to an unnatural length before he used it to slice a long, thin cut along his wrist. Blood flowed freely down his arm as positioned his cut above Junes mouth, drops fell onto her lips and cheeks, staining her teeth and skin.

"Come on..." urgency and desperation laced his tone as he regarded her intensely. This needed to work.

Juniper knew that dying was an inevitability. Like all natural cycles, life and death were as sure as the seasons of the year. With the nature of their relationship and what'd been expected of her, she knew that she'd have to face the mess she'd made all those years ago. Perhaps the two of them dying was the only way she could atone for the sins they both committed.

In the delirium of blood loss, she'd only been half aware of the actions of the Ascendant. When she felt his fingers tangle into her wavy locks, her mind thought that it was the gentle hand of her mother cradling her, welcoming her to the fugue plane before guiding her to Malus' eternal garden. The sensation of fangs digging into her flesh dispelled those comforting thoughts. Her muscles were too weak and lame to push against her would be assaulter, nor the pain that wracked her body would allow it. All she wanted was to sleep, to curl her body into a bed of soft sheets and blankets and sink into a dreamless oblivion. No more pain, no more regrets, no more guilt…

Something wet spattered against her lips. For a second, the liquid tasted metallic, it's tang far too harsh against her tongue. She had half a mind to spit it out and ask for water. And yet, the longer this liquid settled against her tongue, it began to adopt a sweeter flavour. As more slipped passed her lips, she noticed that her muscles stopped aching and that the pain in her abdomen had subsided to a dull sting. Whatever it was, it was proving to be an effective healing tonic. Her body still felt worn out, but her muscles didn't seem to protest as she tentatively wiggled her fingers and toes.

It was then that the supply of the mystery healing potion suddenly left her. A series of angry curses filled her ears, but she didn't care, whatever had been given to her was good, too good. And she wanted her fill. With a groan of protest, her hand shot out into the air blindly before grabbing something warm. Her body moved before her mind could register what she was doing as her teeth dug into skin, slurping up the rest of this miracle brew with a soft, satisfied hum as it coated her lips and tongue. A giddy delirium overtook her, causing a smile to crack across her face was she continued to drink deep.

At some point, the person who'd been nursing her had gotten her to stop, gently prying her off of the warm, wet thing she'd been latched onto. After that though, memory was hazy. She knew that she'd been carried away quietly before being set down on a soft, plush bed where she was finally granted a deep sleep.

When June woke, it was with a pounding headache and a dry, tacky throat. With a groan, the clerics eyes slowly cracked open to the warm orange light of the setting sun peaking through the soft white curtains that fluttered gently in the breeze of the open window. With some effort, the cleric was able to roll out of bed, finding herself dressed in a green silk nightgown.

No…That wasn't right. She was sure that she'd still been in her armour when she entered the palace…

Her stomach dropped as memories from her fight against the Ascendant began to appear to the forefront of her mind. She knew for certain that she shouldn't be alive, let alone walking. It was then that her ears perked to the noise outside her bedroom. This place was clearly buzzing with activity and staff as she could pick up faint chatter and footsteps down the hall.

"Do you think she'll be awake soon? The master's been so agitated lately that I fear what he'll do if she doesn't"

"Keep your voice down! Do you want to be hung upside down by your toes again!?"

Staggering back from the door, Juniper took another look around the room, holding her breath as the pieces to her puzzle began to fit together. Hesitantly, her eyes glanced down to her arms. Her skin had adopted a porcelain white pallor while her finger nails had sharpened into fine points.

Holding her breath, she made her way to a mirror in the corner of the room. For a moment, relief came over her as her reflection came into view, though the longer she looked, the more it dawned on her that the pair of red eyes that stared back at her were her own. With a trembling hand, her fingers made their way to push away her lips, revealing a fang poking out from her gums.

Heavy quiet lingered in the bedroom before June broke it with a loud, anguished scream as she threw a brush, cracking the glass as she took fast, shallow breaths in quick succession while her body trembled like a leaf.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up"

A Chill ran down Junes spine as she felt his breath fan across her neck, his arms wrapping around her with the caress of a tender lover as he held her flush to him, his face buried into the crook of her neck. Despite everything, neither of them could quite bring themselves to end each other, not after everything they've gone through, what else could she ever expect from him? By all means, he had already damned her the moment he sunk his teeth into her the first time.

"What did you do to the people I brought here?". She had brought so many who'd been willing to support her, the idea of them all dying on her behalf made her sick with regret.

"They're unharmed. Jaheira and I have…Reached an agreement"

"What kind of agreement?"

"There will be no harm that'll befall the city. Besides, I had no desire to copy the Pale Knight. It'd be far too boring to repeat the same conquests of another"

Juniper shifted, her forehead meeting his. "That's not the whole answer" there was more to this supposed bargain, she was sure of it.

"I won't touch Baldur's Gate, or your little monastery so long as you remain by my side as my consort"

Of course. Astarion never wanted to take over the city in some blaze of glory, he had a taste for the theatrics, but when it came to his grand plans, they'd always been much more subtle and slow. He had all the time in the world after all, why would he want to take it so quickly when he could indulge in the luxuries he'd been denied?

Swallowing thickly, June took a deep breath of resignation. Perhaps this state of undeath and living in a guilded cage was the punishment she deserved. She'd spent decades trying to atone for the mistakes and the horrors that she helped foster. If staying with him meant that the city was safe, and that those she cared for were unharmed, then she was willing to bare this existence.

Elowynne is on a desperate journey to heal and grow from her past of complex trauma, betrayal,and grief.

The upright of the card symbolises pain and heartbreak, and depicts the vulnerable state of her past self having escaped the torment and abuse she endured, leaving her lost and broken.

This turning point of her life had brought her a profound sense of having lost herself, and hopelessness for the future.

The reverse symbolises healing and emotional release, and depicts Elowynne’s present self holding onto her past self in the effort to heal her heart and overcome past pain.

Whilst the reverse of the card also symbolises moving on, her present self finds it hard to let go.

Prologue

Chapter 1 - coming soon

Chapter 2 - coming soon

Chapter 3 - coming soon

Chapter 4 - coming soon

Chapter 5 - coming soon