The Last Witch: Shadows of the Ashwood Trials (WIP) - Chapter 10 out (107k words) 9/3/2026 + Tumblr

[hapamama93]

Tumblr? Im like, rly looking forward to an update one how its going

[Audrine]

That’s wonderful to hear! I’m really glad you had fun with it!

[Audrine]

Thank you so much—that really means a lot. It’s incredible to hear that it’s sparked your imagination like that, especially as a fellow fan of storytelling and worldbuilding like in Ars Magica. Knowing it inspired you to explore every possibility and bring it into your playthrough is honestly the highest compliment I could ever get! I’ll definitely keep going (comments like yours make the work feel truly worthwhile) Thank you so much
(PS: Honestly, your comment got me intrigued about Ars Magica. I had to go look it up and learn a bit more. It sounds like a very rich and complex world. I can see why it captured your imagination)

[Audrine]

Oh. I have never thought about starting a Tumblr account. I am not sure if readers would be interested in/appreciate it. So you can let me know
About the update:

I have rechecked the code from the previous chapter (the code connected to the mistake that was messing up the familiars) and I have realised that I needed to recode it whole. Honestly, I have no idea how I could make such a mistake. Although I am still a beginner, I feel really bad about this But I have repaired the code and can finally continue with the next chapter. I am already halfway through with it, so I expect that it will be finished by the beginning of August

[hapamama93]

Well ur doing great. Ur a writer not a programmer. Learning is arduous and always to be praised

[Audrine]

Well, thank the stars for that—if I were a programmer, the code would probably burst into flames out of sheer dramatic tension. But writing? Writing is supposed to hurt a little. It’s the good kind of arduous, the kind that leaves you exhausted but grinning like you just stole fire from the gods. And hey—praise accepted. I’ll wear it like a medal… or maybe a slightly ominous crown.

Also—full credit to my dear reader and supporter (that’s you!) for the nudge—I’ve finally started a Tumblr account! Because apparently, I’m now a multitasking wizard juggling words and the web

[hapamama93]

I love ch 7! I wish there was a way to just be friends w some of them tho, I feel so guilty

[Audrine]

I’m so glad you enjoyed chapter 7! And I get that feeling — it’s hard when you care about characters that way. I think it just shows how deeply you connect with them There will be a friendship option, so you’ll absolutely be able to enjoy that side of the story too.

[hapamama93]

If u ever nd a beta tester lmk! I’ve done SSW3 & UnNatural on CoG and Bride of Shadows on twine

[Audrine]

Oh wow, thank you! I absolutely loved those books myself—they’re amazing I’d be thrilled to consider you as a beta tester when the time comes.

As of now, I’m almost finished with the next chapter… and let me warn you, it’s going to be choice-heavy, with consequences that linger longer than a ghost in Ashwood.

I’ll definitely keep you in mind—you clearly know your way around a good story!

[Audrine]

Would you like to see poly routes in The Last Witch?

• Yes, absolutely—I’d love that dynamic!
• Maybe, depending on the characters involved
• No, I prefer single romances!

Let me know your thoughts!

[Audrine]

What kind of magic would choose you in Ashwood?

• Echoweaving
• Whisperbinding
• Soulrooting
• Bloodspell

[ClaimedMinotaur]

I have to say, as great as the detailed descriptions and scenes are, I feel like they can be a bit too much sometimes. There were times where I struggled to understand what was actually happening because there was an entire page of details about the feeling in the air or something similar. Combined with a few scenes that feel like they jump around too quickly, and I got lost repeatedly.

The worst offender was Tommy’s trial. One minute I was stalking alleyways on my way to his cell to save him, the next he’s being dragged onto the stage as if the trial is in full spin, all while the atmosphere is being described like it will show up on a test. I knew more about the piercing gaze of the inquisitor than I did about what was actually happening in the scene.

The second one that lost me was when you’re staring into the mirror. There was probably some subtlety that was lost on me regarding this scene, but I felt like I was re-reading the same description over and over again about who I saw in the mirror. It left me really confused as to what was happening there.

Could be that I’m just a pleb lol.

[K_zero]

Hi just asking can you add another gender for the obsessive one? I wanna see different perspectives per play

[Gigalomania]

Here are some errors

[Audrine]

Thank you so much for reading and for sharing such honest thoughts! I really appreciate you taking the time to detail exactly how those scenes landed for you and how it felt while reading.

Please don’t call yourself a pleb. Reading tastes are really subjective, and you definitely aren’t “wrong” for feeling that way. My writing style does tend to be very heavy on atmosphere and internal reflection (I personally absolutely love getting lost in the texture of a moment, even if it means slowing down the plot to a crawl, and I understand that not everyone is a big fan of that).

For the trial and the mirror scene specifically, I really wanted to create a sense of disorientation and overwhelming sensory detail, almost to make the reader feel as overwhelmed as the character. But I completely understand that for some readers, that approach can feel more frustrating and annoying than immersive.

And about the trial, you are totally right. I think I got so swept up in trying to make the Crimson Inquisitors feel scary, and the atmosphere feel so heavy that I forgot to build a proper bridge between the alleyway and the stage. The story is still in its early stages, so I will take a look at it when life gets a bit less busy!

It sounds like my style might just be a bit too dense for your personal preference, and that is totally okay! I’m just grateful you gave it a shot and shared your perspective

[Audrine]

Thank you so much for pointing these mistakes out! I took a look at the coding, and everything should be corrected in the next chapter update

[Audrine]

Hi there! Thank you so much for the suggestion. I’m really flattered that you’d want to explore different sides of that character!

Unfortunately, it isn’t possible for me to add another gender option for him at this stage. I know that might be a bit disappointing, and I’m sorry I can’t make that happen

However, I do have some exciting news: I am planning to add completely new romance interests to the story soon! While it’s not exactly what you asked for, I really hope these new (similar) characters will bring some of the fresh perspectives and variety you are looking for. I can’t wait for you to meet them all!

[Audrine]

The newest update is out right now!

[Audrine]

Sneak peek

“Open it,” she commands. A plea wrapped in an order.

You unclench your fingers.

The movement is stiff. Reluctant.

The obsidian pendant sits there, drinking the grey light of the room. The gold heartbeat at its center flares, casting a faint, sickly glow onto Laemir’s face.

She recoils.

She doesn’t scream. She doesn’t gasp. She stops breathing entirely.

“Draegan,” she whispers. The name breaks in her mouth like dry bone.

She looks at the stone, then up at you. And for the first time since you were a child, you see true fear in her eyes. Not the fear of soldiers, or fire, or pain.

The fear of something inevitable.

“He didn’t just find you,” she says, her voice trembling.

She reaches out, hovering her hand over the stone but refusing to touch it. The air between her fingers and the pendant hisses, a sound like water hitting a hot skillet.

“He claimed you.”

She looks at the window, where the sun is beginning to bleed out behind the clouds. The light is failing.

“Midnight,” you say. The word feels foreign on your tongue. “It says Midnight.”

Laemir closes her eyes. A shudder runs through her, violent and sudden.

“Then we have hours,” she says, turning away, moving toward the loose floorboard where she keeps the old books. “Not to run. You can’t run from a God.”

She pulls a tome from the dark, the leather cracked and smelling of the Cradle.

“We have hours to make sure you survive the conversation.”