I just want to know if I improved in any aspect of writing or not, it is kind of infuriating since there is 0 interaction with readers. I'll paste 3 scenes from three different chapters, just tell me.
Ninety-four silver, six more, and I won’t be dragged back by the collar tonight.
Aegis, a young cambion with four horns, walked down a stone road. Gray-black buildings passed as his lean figure moved forward. His burning red pupils followed the pouch in his hand.
CLANK.
Coins clanked as Aegis tossed the pouch into the air. It was small —Too small to matter to anyone but him. A low whistle slipped past his lips as the pouch landed neatly in his palm.
A roar reached his pointed ears. The ground trembled as if thousands of fiends marched in unison. The Dragon’s Fall, an arena — the only place where his pouch could get heavier. But before he could reach it.
SPLAT
His tattered leather boots stepped on something. He lifted his boot to see what it was—
"Great! A Klucking hound decided to grace me with its filth." He threw his arms up in irritation, wiping his boot against the stone.
Soon, metal stairs rose before him, stretching upward toward the arena gate where a colossal skull guarded the entrance, its jaw forever screaming. Its hollow eyes pierced straight through his soul.
With each step, Aegis got closer to the entrance. The metallic smell of the sweat welcomed him as he entered the arena hall. On his right stood the blood wager pit. His feet instinctively carried him toward it. His eyes examined the board as he reached the counter, “Norkhon challenges Zigor.”
He turned toward the counter. “I wager ninety-four silver on Zigor.”
A familiar slender fiend nodded and entered his name in the ledger.
Am I forgetting something? Suddenly, the whole arena vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.
Eh, it must be nothing.
As he walked toward the spectators’ attic, Cambions and poor fiends surrounded him.
This spot looks good. He approached a spot beside the obsidian pillar. Beside him stood an old fiend, the stench of his sweat invaded his nostrils.
An involuntary gag. With haste, he covered his mouth and ignored the smell.
CLANK.
Coins clanked as Aegis tossed the pouch into the air. It was small —Too small to matter to anyone but him. A low whistle slipped past his lips as the pouch landed neatly in his palm.
A roar reached his pointed ears. The ground trembled as if thousands of fiends marched in unison. The Dragon’s Fall, an arena — the only place where his pouch could get heavier. But before he could reach it.
SPLAT
His tattered leather boots stepped on something. He lifted his boot to see what it was—
"Great! A Klucking hound decided to grace me with its filth." He threw his arms up in irritation, wiping his boot against the stone.
Soon, metal stairs rose before him, stretching upward toward the arena gate where a colossal skull guarded the entrance, its jaw forever screaming. Its hollow eyes pierced straight through his soul.
With each step, Aegis got closer to the entrance. The metallic smell of the sweat welcomed him as he entered the arena hall. On his right stood the blood wager pit. His feet instinctively carried him toward it. His eyes examined the board as he reached the counter, “Norkhon challenges Zigor.”
He turned toward the counter. “I wager ninety-four silver on Zigor.”
A familiar slender fiend nodded and entered his name in the ledger.
Am I forgetting something? Suddenly, the whole arena vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.
Eh, it must be nothing.
As he walked toward the spectators’ attic, Cambions and poor fiends surrounded him.
This spot looks good. He approached a spot beside the obsidian pillar. Beside him stood an old fiend, the stench of his sweat invaded his nostrils.
An involuntary gag. With haste, he covered his mouth and ignored the smell.
“You are a child, don’t put yourself at risk for me.”
Aegis scoffed as the stranger’s words lingered in his mind.
“Child, huh?” He kicked a stone hard enough to send it down the street. He flinched when a sharp growl reached his ears. Maybe it hit a stray hound.
Aegis froze at the sight of the tavern at the end of the road. The lights inside flickered as the figures moved behind the windows.
His master’s face flashed in his mind, but his feet did not move. His mind started counting.
Three hours for one gold coin… His eyes widened.
“I’m free for the night!” A few strangers passing gave him strange looks.
What do I do tonight? Should I go to the den? Or follow a drunk fiend and pick his pockets? Maybe the sewers…
It’s been two days since he met Zerra and Kaelran.
Aegis made his way to the market square. The city was still bright with many fiends wandering under the lanterns. The haggling voices welcomed him as he entered the square.
He passed a drunk fiend lying on the road with his pockets wide open. His steps slowed down for a moment, but he knew if he were caught stealing from a fiend, he would be no more.
Not today…
Aegis scoffed as the stranger’s words lingered in his mind.
“Child, huh?” He kicked a stone hard enough to send it down the street. He flinched when a sharp growl reached his ears. Maybe it hit a stray hound.
Aegis froze at the sight of the tavern at the end of the road. The lights inside flickered as the figures moved behind the windows.
His master’s face flashed in his mind, but his feet did not move. His mind started counting.
Three hours for one gold coin… His eyes widened.
“I’m free for the night!” A few strangers passing gave him strange looks.
What do I do tonight? Should I go to the den? Or follow a drunk fiend and pick his pockets? Maybe the sewers…
It’s been two days since he met Zerra and Kaelran.
Aegis made his way to the market square. The city was still bright with many fiends wandering under the lanterns. The haggling voices welcomed him as he entered the square.
He passed a drunk fiend lying on the road with his pockets wide open. His steps slowed down for a moment, but he knew if he were caught stealing from a fiend, he would be no more.
Not today…
Let’s see what your superior race is capable of, gladiator…
Thick eyebrows of Deron tightened as the voice in his head spoke again. He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the scimitar. At any cost, he wanted to prove himself to the mocking voice and shut it up.
Deron loosened his body, but he made his legs stiff. With Neg on his back, he knew he couldn’t dance around in the fog, so he decided to make himself a pillar of meat and iron and deflect attacks before they hit.
Deron’s arms reached his mate’s arm. He pulled it tight around his shoulder and said.
“Hold tight.”
However, there was no response except a nod. Deron shrugged it off as this was not the time to ponder on her silence. Without looking back, Deron raised his scimitar and positioned it in front of him. His other arm pulled out a buckler from his belt. The cold metal surface of the buckler brushed against his palm as he held it on his left side.
A pouncing beast would not care about the dagger in front of it. However, only if the beast was enraged or simply stupid, it would ignore the threat. Deron hoped the apparition was ignorant enough to take the bait and charge into him.
Thud.
The apparition halted half a dozen meters before them…With a shriek, the scorched abomination charged into them. Heavy thuds now replaced the deafening silence around them,
Jagged bone blades of the apparition cut the lantern poles as they waved recklessly.
Deron knew that if he were not careful enough, he and his mate would be sliced into two halves. He did not want his intestines and severed legs to be his last image; everyone around him now readied themselves.
The abomination’s blade crashed into Ryne. However, before it could cut him in two, Ryne blocked it with his buckler. However, the buckler groaned heavily as Ryne couldn’t deflect the slash.
With a loud thud, the blade sent him flying into a wall to their right. Ryne lay on the ground for a while before getting up.
The apparition now charged into Deron.
Thud-Thud-Thud.
Ryne got lucky, as it was only a single blade. If the multiple limbs came at him all at once, he would’ve been diced.
Multiple limbs of the abomination twitched, slashing the fog into ribbons as it charged toward him.
When the thud finally reached him, a blade slashed the air above Deron. However, before it could meet his flesh, Deron launched into the abomination’s chest and lodged his blade deep into its chest.
Deformed limbs of the apparition twitched at a quick pace and sent blades everywhere into the fog. Deron skillfully dodged a few of them as he tore the burnt meat and bone with his blade.
The charred bones cracked. Deron pushed his weight forward and blade deep until it tore through its back and emerged out of its spine.
Finally, the abomination’s charred body no longer twitched. Its deformed, roasted limbs now slumped onto the black stone road. Deron watched, his chest heaving.
Gradually, its blackened body deteriorated into dark grey particles. Ash fell onto the ground as its skin cracked, the bones next, and finally its organs. After a moment, nothing was left in front of Deron except his scimitar, swallowed in ash.
Ryne might be the leader, but Deron was still the powerhouse. Deron’s face shifted into a smug expression, and his tight fists loosened.
With a proud groan, Deron screamed, not caring about his bandmates.
“Disappointment, huh? This is what my superior genes are capable of!”
Deron stomped the ground as he continued screaming.
“Where are the kluck are you? You filthy sewer rat! Are you scared to insult me now? Come out, you basta-”
However, before he finished his words, his body swayed.
Deron loosened his body, but he made his legs stiff. With Neg on his back, he knew he couldn’t dance around in the fog, so he decided to make himself a pillar of meat and iron and deflect attacks before they hit.
Deron’s arms reached his mate’s arm. He pulled it tight around his shoulder and said.
“Hold tight.”
However, there was no response except a nod. Deron shrugged it off as this was not the time to ponder on her silence. Without looking back, Deron raised his scimitar and positioned it in front of him. His other arm pulled out a buckler from his belt. The cold metal surface of the buckler brushed against his palm as he held it on his left side.
A pouncing beast would not care about the dagger in front of it. However, only if the beast was enraged or simply stupid, it would ignore the threat. Deron hoped the apparition was ignorant enough to take the bait and charge into him.
Thud.
The apparition halted half a dozen meters before them…With a shriek, the scorched abomination charged into them. Heavy thuds now replaced the deafening silence around them,
Jagged bone blades of the apparition cut the lantern poles as they waved recklessly.
Deron knew that if he were not careful enough, he and his mate would be sliced into two halves. He did not want his intestines and severed legs to be his last image; everyone around him now readied themselves.
The abomination’s blade crashed into Ryne. However, before it could cut him in two, Ryne blocked it with his buckler. However, the buckler groaned heavily as Ryne couldn’t deflect the slash.
With a loud thud, the blade sent him flying into a wall to their right. Ryne lay on the ground for a while before getting up.
The apparition now charged into Deron.
Thud-Thud-Thud.
Ryne got lucky, as it was only a single blade. If the multiple limbs came at him all at once, he would’ve been diced.
Multiple limbs of the abomination twitched, slashing the fog into ribbons as it charged toward him.
When the thud finally reached him, a blade slashed the air above Deron. However, before it could meet his flesh, Deron launched into the abomination’s chest and lodged his blade deep into its chest.
Deformed limbs of the apparition twitched at a quick pace and sent blades everywhere into the fog. Deron skillfully dodged a few of them as he tore the burnt meat and bone with his blade.
The charred bones cracked. Deron pushed his weight forward and blade deep until it tore through its back and emerged out of its spine.
Finally, the abomination’s charred body no longer twitched. Its deformed, roasted limbs now slumped onto the black stone road. Deron watched, his chest heaving.
Gradually, its blackened body deteriorated into dark grey particles. Ash fell onto the ground as its skin cracked, the bones next, and finally its organs. After a moment, nothing was left in front of Deron except his scimitar, swallowed in ash.
Ryne might be the leader, but Deron was still the powerhouse. Deron’s face shifted into a smug expression, and his tight fists loosened.
With a proud groan, Deron screamed, not caring about his bandmates.
“Disappointment, huh? This is what my superior genes are capable of!”
Deron stomped the ground as he continued screaming.
“Where are the kluck are you? You filthy sewer rat! Are you scared to insult me now? Come out, you basta-”
However, before he finished his words, his body swayed.