Image: Tarnished vs. Rennala: Before the First Strike

Available versions of this image

• Regular size (1,536 x 1,024): JPEG - WebP
• Large size (3,072 x 2,048): JPEG - WebP

Image description

An anime-style fan art illustration depicts a tense pre-battle standoff between the Tarnished and Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, inside the vast, moonlit library of Raya Lucaria Academy. The scene is rendered in a wide, cinematic landscape composition, emphasizing scale, atmosphere, and anticipation. In the foreground on the left stands the Tarnished, clad in sleek Black Knife armor. The armor is dark and matte, layered with sharp, elegant plates and subtle metallic engravings that catch faint blue highlights from the surrounding light. A hooded cloak flows behind them, suggesting slow, deliberate movement forward. The Tarnished grips a dagger in a low, cautious stance, body angled slightly toward Rennala, conveying readiness and restraint rather than outright aggression.

Opposite, on the right side of the composition, Rennala hovers gracefully above shallow, reflective water that blankets the library floor. She is adorned in flowing, ornate robes of deep blue and muted crimson, trimmed with intricate gold patterns. Her tall, conical headdress rises prominently, reinforcing her regal and otherworldly presence. Rennala holds her staff aloft in one hand, its crystalline tip glowing faintly with arcane energy. Her expression is calm, distant, and unreadable, as though she exists half a moment outside of time, fully aware of the conflict about to unfold.

Behind Rennala, an enormous full moon dominates the background, framed by towering bookshelves that curve upward into darkness. The moonlight floods the scene with cool blue tones, illuminating drifting magical particles that float like stardust through the air. These shimmering motes add a dreamlike quality and hint at the sorcery saturating the space. The water beneath both characters mirrors the moon and their silhouettes, creating ripples that subtly distort their reflections and heighten the sense of stillness before violence.

The overall mood is one of quiet tension and reverence, capturing the exact moment before combat begins. Neither character attacks; instead, they approach each other with caution and resolve. The composition balances intimacy and grandeur, emphasizing the personal duel set against a vast, mystical environment. The image blends elegance and danger, faithfully evoking the melancholic, magical atmosphere of Elden Ring while presenting the confrontation as a dramatic, almost ceremonial encounter.

The image is related to: Elden Ring: Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon (Raya Lucaria Academy) Boss Fight