Image: Tarnished vs Astel in Grand Cloister

A high-resolution anime-style digital painting captures a dramatic confrontation between the Tarnished and Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, set in the eerie Grand Cloister from Elden Ring. The composition is rendered in landscape orientation, emphasizing the vastness and cosmic depth of the environment.

The scene unfolds beneath a star-saturated sky, with jagged stalactites hanging from the cavern ceiling and a swirling galactic nebula casting violet and magenta hues across the waterlogged terrain. The reflective surface of the shallow subterranean river mirrors the celestial backdrop and the figures within it, enhancing the mystical ambiance.

Astel dominates the left side of the composition—a towering, insectoid cosmic horror with a skeletal exoskeleton and elongated limbs ending in claw-like appendages. Its wings are translucent and iridescent, patterned like a dragonfly’s, shimmering with blues, purples, and golds. The creature’s skull-like head features glowing orange eyes and massive horn-like mandibles protruding from its mouth, curving outward and downward in a menacing arc. Notably, Astel has no horns atop its head, preserving anatomical accuracy. Its segmented tail arches high above its body, adorned with glowing orbs in shades of violet and blue, connected by spiked, bony segments that culminate in a stinger-like tip.

Facing Astel is the Tarnished, positioned in the lower right quadrant. Clad in the angular, shadowy Black Knife armor, the warrior’s hooded silhouette is turned directly toward the creature. The Tarnished holds a long, straight sword in a proper combat-ready stance, blade angled forward and feet firmly planted in the shallow water. The armor’s textures are rendered with precision, featuring layered metal plates, a flowing tattered cloak, and subtle geometric etchings.

The lighting is atmospheric and dramatic, with soft glows emanating from Astel’s eyes, tail orbs, and the galactic sky. These highlights cast ethereal reflections across the water and illuminate the characters with a spectral sheen. The color palette is dominated by cool tones—deep blues, purples, and blacks—contrasted by the warm orange and gold accents from the creature’s glowing features and the cosmic light.

The image’s perspective is slightly low and wide, enhancing the scale of Astel and the depth of the cavern. The composition balances tension and grandeur, with the Tarnished’s poised stance and Astel’s looming form locked in a moment of impending battle.

This artwork blends anime stylization with dark fantasy realism, capturing the essence of Elden Ring’s cosmic horror and heroic struggle in one visually arresting frame.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Astel, Naturalborn of the Void (Grand Cloister) Boss Fight