Image: Fire and Frost Duel in Castle Ensis
Published: January 9, 2026 at 10:28:59 PM UTC
Realistic fantasy fan art of the Tarnished battling Rellana with fire and frost blades in the shadowy halls of Castle Ensis from Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
This image portrays a tense duel inside a cavernous, gothic castle hall rendered in a realistic fantasy painting style rather than a cartoon look. The scene is bathed in cool, blue-tinted ambient light that filters down from unseen openings above, giving the ancient stonework a cold, damp atmosphere. Tall arches, weathered pillars, and heavy wooden doors surround the courtyard-like chamber, their surfaces scarred by age and faintly illuminated by drifting embers.
In the lower left foreground stands the Tarnished, viewed from behind and slightly above. Clad in the shadowy Black Knife armor, the figure is hunched forward in a predatory stance, their hood obscuring all facial detail. Their cloak streams backward, shedding sparks and ash as though it has brushed through fire moments earlier. In their right hand they grip a short dagger glowing with molten orange-red light, its blade trailing a thin ribbon of heat that reflects across the cracked stone floor.
Across the chamber, now closer than before, is Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight. She is taller than the Tarnished but no longer grotesquely oversized, maintaining a believable heroic scale. Her ornate silver armor is edged with gold, the metal catching both the blue ambient light and the warm glow of her weapons. A deep violet cape flows behind her, heavy and textured, its folds suggesting real fabric rather than stylized shapes.
Rellana wields two swords at once. In her right hand, a blazing flame sword burns with vivid orange intensity, casting rippling light across her armor and the floor beneath her boots. In her left hand, she holds a frost sword that shines with icy blue radiance, shedding tiny crystalline motes that drift downward like snow. The opposing elements carve bright streaks through the air, one hot and turbulent, the other cold and razor-sharp.
The lighting of the hall is dominated by cool blues and steel-gray shadows, making the fire and frost stand out in stark contrast. The stone tiles between the fighters glow faintly where the colors meet, turning the center of the chamber into a crucible of clashing energies. The realistic textures, restrained color palette, and grounded proportions all contribute to a somber, immersive atmosphere, capturing the moment just before steel meets steel in a brutal confrontation.
The image is related to: Elden Ring: Rellana, Twin Moon Knight (Castle Ensis) Boss Fight (SOTE)

