Image: The Tarnished vs. Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

The image depicts an epic confrontation set within the Grand Cloister, rendered in a dark, anime-inspired fantasy style that emphasizes scale, atmosphere, and cosmic dread. In the foreground, the Tarnished stands partially turned away from the viewer, seen from behind and slightly to the side, reinforcing the sense that the viewer is standing alongside them. The Tarnished wears dark, weathered Black Knife armor with layered cloth and leather textures, a flowing cloak trailing behind their back. Their posture is tense and grounded, legs braced in shallow, reflective water, while one arm extends forward holding a slender, gleaming blade that catches faint starlight. The reflective surface beneath their feet mirrors both sword and silhouette, subtly rippling outward.

Dominating the scene ahead is Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, portrayed as a colossal, otherworldly insect drifting just above the ground. Astel’s body is elongated and skeletal, with a pale, skull-like head that appears almost human in its emptiness. The eye sockets are dark and hollow, the jaw gaping open in a silent, threatening snarl. Instead of horns atop the skull, two enormous horn-like mandibles curve outward and downward from either side of the mouth, reinforcing the creature’s insectoid nature. These mandibles frame the skull and draw attention to its predatory face.

Astel’s body extends backward into a segmented, insect-like torso supported by many long, jointed legs, each ending in sharp, clawed tips that touch or hover just above the water’s surface. The number of legs and their splayed arrangement emphasize its alien anatomy and unnatural balance. From Astel’s back emerge large, translucent wings resembling those of a dragonfly, veined with faint golden lines and tinted with deep blues and purples that echo the night sky.

From the rear of Astel’s body grows its most striking feature: a long, arcing tail composed of glowing, spherical segments that resemble celestial bodies or clusters of stars. The tail curves upward and forward in a graceful arc, forming a constellation-like pattern that glimmers with cosmic light, as if pieces of the night sky have been strung together. Tiny points of light within the tail suggest distant stars suspended in motion.

The background is a vast cavern open to the cosmos, where stalactites frame a sky filled with swirling nebulae, distant stars, and soft clouds of purple and blue light. The entire scene is bathed in cool, nocturnal tones, punctuated by the pale glow of Astel’s body and the Tarnished’s blade. Together, the composition captures a moment of suspended tension just before battle, highlighting the contrast between mortal resolve and incomprehensible cosmic horror.

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