Exalting to the Ephemeral Eden

This visual novel frequently depicts fictionalized versions of Christian mythology, of which includes symbols and iconography, Biblical references, Gnosticism, angelology and demonology. Background images which contain real life photography of religious iconography and architecture is often depicted and distorted. Any religious references are not meant to be representative nor accurate to their real-life counterparts.

Content Warning List

Body dysmorphia, Dissociation, Religious imagery/themes, Demons, Angels, Christianity, Artistic images of crucifixion, Depiction of demonic sigils, Distorted real life photography and imagery (especially of religious iconography), Death (of animals and humans), Grotesque bodies, Disfigured, gorey corpses (of animals and humans), Symbolic representations of corpses (such as real-life photography of statues standing-in for a person), Religious trauma, Murder, Dismemberment and mutilation of bodies, Blood, Violence, Physical injury and scars, Cut wounds on arm, Poisoning, Scopophobia, Light screen shaking, Brief moments of potentially bright imagery, Mild/partial nudity, Mildly sexually suggestive comments.

Reader discretion is advised.

This visual novel was made under a month for the Spooktober 6th Annual Visual Novel Jam.

There are two versions of the game: a kinetic novel version that removes the story's branching paths, and a full version with the original choices. This was done since the branching paths of the original version contain potentially explicit content such as implications of self-harm and suicide, so the kinetic version is a little safer, but the other content warnings at the start still apply to it.

The kinetic version nonetheless contains the full story, so it may also be an option for those who prefer the vibes and pacing of kinetic NVL-mode visual novels!

• Horror Mystery inspired by tropes of detective and occult fiction
• 54k words (kinetic version)
  
  • 66k words (full version)
•  4 different endings (full version only)
• Filtered and edited photographic backgrounds
• Simple character sprites
• NVL-mode

Vehuia thought they were an angel. Memories of them indulging in the heavenly choir echo throughout their body. Yet, they find themselves living with invisible wings, and their feet stuck to the ground of the earth where humans reign. Vehuia knew that at some point they had been cast away, much like the fallen morning star of mythology. They no longer remembered why. They simply had to accept that they would continue living as they are.

Banished from the heavenly realm, yet unable to connect with any of the flesh of the earth, Vehuia passed their days living in a cemetery. Often hearing the cries and prayers of the desperate. None of this piety is ever directed to them, but rather towards a strange statue of the Archangel Michael found within the cemetery's grounds. Even though every cry they hear is different, the one similarity Vehuia always notices is that each prayer is a request for one thing: exorcising demons.

Vehuia knew it was arrogant of them, but they felt the need to make use of the body they had to exorcise demons on the statue's behalf. They didn't expect to receive praise from the archangel. Nor from any of the humans. They simply had to continue living, and exorcisms paid just enough to support their vagabond life.

However, though as effective as they were, they never saw themselves as a true exorcist. It wasn't a matter of pride or honor. They just never had any faith. They couldn't. Not as an angel with invisible wings. Not on this earth.

But one day...the statue of the archangel received a peculiar guest, a nun with scarlet eyes,  and request that was much unlike any Vehuia has ever undertaken...

A great demon was being invited. Sacrifices were made. The blood of witchcraft's familiars, black cats and toads, was spilled. All within the barriers of a holy monastery.

Even though it should have been impossible. Even though it was absurd.

Simply hearing the nun's plea was enough to cast a shadow over Vehuia that made them wonder if this case...would make their invisible wings finally come to light.

This is my first solo project! All the writing, character design, character sprites, coding, and photo-editing were done by me, Venux Crucifix! Hopefully it's not too rough around the edges!

I made heavy use of images,music, and sound effects in the Creative Commons.

All images, whether they were used as backgrounds or in textures for character sprites and/or background editing, are sourced from the Wikimedia Commons.

All music was composed by Peritune, and obtained from their website.

All sound effects were sourced from Freesound, obtained from various authors.

The fonts used are Chomsky by Fredrick Brennan and CAT Childs by Peter Wiegel.

Listing an extensive list of all the Creative Common sources would be too much for this page, but I've created a Google Doc that provides links to each individual source image/music/SFX. I hope it's of interest to those curious!