Image: Tarnished vs. Decaying Ekzykes in the Scarlet Wastes

The image presents a dramatic, anime-inspired scene set in the hellish region of Caelid from Elden Ring, where the land itself appears poisoned by scarlet rot. The sky dominates the upper half of the composition in violent shades of crimson and burnt orange, swirling with smoke and drifting embers that suggest a world perpetually on the verge of collapse. In the far distance, the silhouettes of ruined towers and broken walls rise from the wasteland, barely visible through the haze, evoking the remnants of a fallen civilization.

In the foreground on the left stands the Tarnished, depicted from a slightly rear, three-quarter angle. The figure wears the iconic Black Knife armor: dark, layered plates with engraved patterns, a flowing black cloak, and a deep hood that conceals the face in shadow. The armor reflects the fiery light of the environment with subtle highlights along its edges. The Tarnished’s stance is low and tense, knees bent as if bracing for impact, one arm extended forward while gripping a short, glowing dagger. The blade burns with a vivid red-orange light, its glow scattering sparks into the air and illuminating the character’s gauntlet and the hem of the cloak.

Opposite the Tarnished, dominating the center and right side of the frame, is Decaying Ekzykes, rendered as a colossal, nightmarish dragon. Its body is massive and malformed, the pale, ashen scales mottled with patches of diseased red flesh that bulge like open sores. From its wings and shoulders sprout twisted, coral-like growths, giving the creature a skeletal, rotting appearance. The dragon’s head is thrust forward in a feral roar, jaws stretched wide to reveal rows of jagged, darkened teeth and a long, glistening tongue. From its throat erupts a thick plume of grayish-white miasma, representing the toxic rot breath that churns toward the Tarnished like a living storm.

The dragon’s wings are raised in a threatening arc, their torn membranes catching the fiery light from the sky, while the massive talons dig into the cracked, blood-red earth below. Scattered across the ground are burning embers and drifting ash, adding a sense of constant motion to the scene. The barren trees of Caelid appear in the background as black, twisted silhouettes, their leafless branches clawing at the red heavens.

Overall, the illustration captures a frozen moment of confrontation: the Tarnished, small but defiant, facing an overwhelming embodiment of decay and corruption. The contrast between the dark, sleek armor of the warrior and the grotesque, pale bulk of the dragon heightens the tension, while the intense red palette of the environment ties the entire composition together into a vision of beauty and horror balanced on the edge of destruction.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Decaying Ekzykes (Caelid) Boss Fight - BUGGED