Burning Academia
Demo updated: May 9th, 2025 (Prologue - Chapter 3)
Current Word Count (w/code): ~166.5k
Word Count for One Play Through: ~54k
For fun: Take the 'which character are you' quiz
You never thought you'd go to college, due to your circumstances. But you especially didn't dream you'd be forced to attend the prestigious Vales Grove University after being attacked by wraiths in their library. What started as a visit to a long time friend, ended with your hands burned, your innocence questioned, and the startling realization magic is real.
To apologize for what's happened to you, or more accurately, to keep an eye on you, the Headmaster himself offers you enrollment with all fees waived. With no real choice in the matter, you become a student, and try to ignore the suspicion everyone throws your way. Besides, you have worse things to deal with.
Like how you've started to attract ghosts and other dead things, or the fact that there is a very living thing inside your head, waiting for you to lower guard and take control. And most pressing of all, managing your obligation to a family that hasn't been such a thing in years. Tread carefully, if the ghosts don't devour you, the university certainly might.
- Customize the MC; gender, appearance, personality, etc!
- Romance six questionable love interests, or not!
- A morality system which changes how your story will go. Do you belong to the day, the night, or somewhere in between?
- A complicated family, which you've been shackled to your whole life. Will you ever be able to escape them? Do you even want to?
- Survive college, your job, and attempt to not have a quarter life crisis.
- Avoid getting devoured by all the things that go bump in the night.
- Retain your free will.
- Dawn: The world has never been kind, but that hasn't stopped you from giving up. You'll run through the night and embrace the rising dawn. A path of becoming hope.
- Day: There's light in the world, if one only knows how to look. As long as you hold on, the light will find you, too. A path of finding solace.
- Dusk: All you've known is suffering, and you won't stand for it any longer. Regardless where that leads you, or the choices you need to make to save yourself. A path leading to freedom.
- Night: There's no hope here, not as things stand. You'll change it all, even if you must stand in the darkness. A path of destroying everything which has sought to destroy you.
More simply: Dawn/Day: traditional good paths, Dusk: anti-hero path, Night: "villain" path
Rook Bellerose [M]: A "best friend" you've known for over a decade. He's never let you get close even after all this time. He's the king of jokes and immaturity, but after the events which led to your enrollment at Vales Grove, something's changed. Maybe it's the guilt, or maybe it's the mask finally slipping.
Beck Castro [M]: Rook's detested roommate, although you aren't sure why. He's the kind of guy who likes to hear himself talk, and he's pretty good at it. He also possesses a bleeding heart and desperate kindness. For whatever reason, he's taken a keen interest in you, and has offered his help for whatever you might need.
Rhea Windsor [F]: The Headmaster's daughter. Everyone who talks about her often complains that she's the traditional prim and proper young woman one would expect from a Headmaster's daughter. However, the more you talk to her, the more you realize she's the exact opposite with a dorky personality and a streak of clumsiness.
Zoe Ripley [NB]: A loner who hides in the library to avoid people. They saw what went down the day you got forced to attend Vales Grove. Despite their prickly attitude, you get the sense they aren't a bad person, and despite how they act, they've never refused to help you. If anything, you seem to be the one person on campus who doesn't get on their nerves, professors included.
Lars Angel [M]: The most exhausted person you've ever seen, and that's saying something. He's a grad student, and one you keep running in to. He can't stand you, and you can only guess at why. With a sharp tongue and a bitter disposition, he tries his best to avoid you. Too bad you both keep running into each other. It looks like fate has other plans.
???[M/F/NB]: The thing which haunts you. You have no idea how the two of you got connected, but you can feel it in your blood, organs, neurons, synapses. You know it's evil, you know it wants to consume you, but tell me? Has anything ever cradled your soul so gently before?
Poly Route options:
Beck/Rook [triad]: Dawn or Day Path
Rook/??? [triad]: Night Path
Rhea and Zoe [V]: Dawn or Dusk Path
Credits:
Twine Sugarcube Template by nyehilism
CW: Gore, violence, discussions and depictions of death, parental neglect, emotional abuse, alcoholism, depression, classism, mtc
Development log
- Bonus Short Story: LarsMay 17, 2025
- BA Chapter 3 UpdateMay 09, 2025
- Happy one year anniversary + bonus playable short storyOct 14, 2024
- Misc/QoL UpdateSep 21, 2024
- Bonus Short Story: ZoeJul 13, 2024
- BA Chapter 2 UpdateJun 08, 2024
- 10k+ plays bonus short story: BeckFeb 17, 2024
- Quick Note: IndicatorsFeb 06, 2024
Comments
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Nice work! I really enjoyed it. :D
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It's on the "Maybe I want a real fight" You challenge. option when with Lars in the garden.
I am enjoying it so far for the most part, but I made my pronouns they/them but have only been referred to with she/her.
Oh that sounds like a browser issue! I'd suggest either reloading or trying an incognito tab and see if that fixes it!
The more I think about it and the night path with how the description of this game is that it's the "villain" path, and now that I've mostly finished Chapter 3, to me I kinda want this to go down the god damn XGaster route like in Xtale with shit going on. How sick wouldn't that be? It would be sick.
Regardless, I look forward to Chapter 4 while I loathe that all the IF games I like aren't close to completion and in early stages. Why world? Why?
But yes, this is a great story. Very grounded. Very reasonable.
I look forward to it. Just ignore my Undertale fandom of 10 years experience rambling at the top of this comment.
Sincerely,
J.
just finished chapter 2 (AND FUCKING LOVED IT BTW. OH MY GOD. i'm so hooked, i spent my full 8 hour shift just like rotating the game in my head) and i felt like ranking the love interests so here's my completely arbitrary opinion on their dateability (NOT how well they're written, they're all fascinating characters):
6 - Lars. cop energy. i'm glad i tried to punch him in the face
5 - Rhea. i actually really like her as a person and can't wait to learn more about her but she is simply not my type
4 - Beck. sweet but i've spent enough of my real life pining after tortured prettyboys
3 - Zoe. delightful, but too much like me to be attractive. this town ain't big enough for two they/thems with horrific anxiety disorders
2 - Rook. when he was first introduced i was like "oh, you want me to have a crush on the hot childhood friend who's never let me get too close? what kind of pathetic gay idiot do you think i am?" unfortunately, "pathetic gay idiot" is an extremely accurate assessment of me as a person. well played.
1 - The Voice. oh my god. i need him. i must not have any self-preservation instincts to speak of because it only took him about two pages to win me over completely. i WILL be following that beautiful, long-haired, potentially dead man down a dark path from which i may never return, and none of you can stop me
This was such a funny assessment of the ROs thank you for this lmaO
HOLY CRAP THIS WAS PEAK
New hyperfixation acquired!! I can not overstate how much I fucking love this game
I'm starting my second playthrough tonight and trying to put a few friends onto it too
Lovely story, finished the whole thing in two days i think? Is there more of it available for purchase anywhere else?
It's only up to chapter 3 for now! I'm hoping to finish up play testing chapter 4 and get it to beta readers by the end of November though, so hopefully the new chapter is released by December! The game is also going to be free, even upon completion! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Woah woah wait a sec! this masterpiece is going to be free???????? Omg girllll please you're so sweet for this i feel bad because it feels illegal to read it for free! Gosh you're so lovely 😭♥️
Actually, I found this quiz on Uquiz before I played the game, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover this
THIS IS SO GOOD I'M JUMPING WITH JOY (figuratively, I cannot do that #Ihaveaphysicaldisabilty) I LOVE THE OPTION TO BE TRANS AND THE ABILITY TO NOT CARE ABT PASSINGGGGGG (even tho I pride myself on passing lol) THIS GAME IS EPICSAUCE I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE!!!! I'd give you my wallet if I wasn't broke and in poverty ^^
Are there any plans to add a poly route between ??? and Zoe?
i do not believe there will be one :'I
Sadge
Y u make me sad ;/
im good at disappointing people♥
real
I love this! Are there any plans to add a poly route with ??? and Lars? If not, absolutely understandable, but I thought of it and now I can't rest easy without asking
No pressure whatsoever, and I love the game <3
Ah this is wonderful! And s/o to your lil quiz I got Beck and the blurb made me cry <3.
so good, the story is so good. I am looking forward for more, but take your time, I loved all RO
I like it, but it is sometimes really hard to know who is actually talking
My little 'english is not my first language' heart gets you :(
In My Little Pony standards... Luck Magicians are Earth Ponies :p lol at least before the new generation!
currently upset at how i never found this IF faster and now only just found it because its literally amazing ♥
i love all the ROs so much im gonna BWBHUJBGBHBHW (though beck and ??? WILL be eaten by me, sorry not sorry everyone 😻)
i cannot wait for more! :D (No rush ofc!)
Already did, I got a test and got a result.
It's been deleted from the comments 🫡 there's been a flood of spam comments on itch ever since the censorship ban
The mirror only reflects "me" back to "you." In an ocean of despair, what is there left to lose but kindness? The clock strikes midnight and there's nothing left but a shell built up to survive. The night is endless, but only because the day was once known. Our desperation guides, tripping over clumsy feet, trying to find the light again. What was stolen, we will find. The pain endured is not how this story ends. For every moment of sorrow, there will be moments of rest. Amongst the chaos, take my hand and remember, you don't have to fight for this life alone now.
im fine 😭
as a person who writes like this: are you though? would you like a hug? I'd be happy to give you a virtual hug
yes i would. :D
*hugs virtually*
thank you!!!
*hugs back virtually*
I am still on prologue, but enjoying it a lot... I hope you do not mind if I suggest you to put the physical descrption with the characthers in the characthers' description...
I haven't even read it yet but I'm already in love with it. Hosnestly just the fact that there is a morality system has me head over heels Imma devour this IF.
Also the poly routes make it so you can't romance certain people depending the path u take. Does this mean I can't romance Rhea if I choose night path or hwat?👴?
So im obsessed but jw if our personality stats r supposed change? I see almost no changes...
Finally had time to catch up on the story. Thank you for this update!
Just finished the update and I loved it! I am so excited for more!
Yayyy thanks for the update ❤
I hope this gets updated, I am captivated by the story!!
You found this just in time lol Chapter 3 is currently in the hands of beta readers, and I'm planning on having it out by May 9th!
It feels badass to punch Lars 🤣 My MC says thanks for adding that option.
??? is my beloved, I like him already🫶
Splendid, well-written IF! I liked intriguing plot of the game and enjoyed how the story branches in the second chapter. It was interesting to replay and find new unexpected outcomes of my choices. Looking forward for the next updates!
Bug 1. When choosing wallet for ghost touched objects, the options to tell or force Lars to stop doesn't work. They all just lead to "watch in silence".
Bug 2. If you choose "you don't turn down a free meal" and choose "tell the truth" when Lars asks why, it doesn't let you tell the truth. It just says "You only shrug, deciding on a non-answer."
Bug 3. "He hadn't been surprised when they'd refused to take hold of one of the death-touch items." This didn't happen.
I think I might have noticed a bug? I agreed to join Lars and Nevio for lunch and then asked Zoe to join, and then when we left it cut to my character giving someone a non-answer but I was never asked a question. I went and redid the choice, this time not asking Zoe to go with, and that page had the question I was supposed to answer. Not sure if it's an actual bug or not but thought I'd say something just in case! The story is very interesting and I'm having fun playing!
Wow... I like al the mysteries and characters. And MC suffering and not getting a break. Please more :)
I wound up enjoying this a lot more than I was expecting to and I'm looking forward to the next update.
There's a bug. I chose the reason to go along with free food was "free food is free food". But when I choose "be honest" it says "you pissed me off and I thought agreeing would piss you off back".
I noticed a small issue with the friendship point system. When you're first talking with Rhea in your dorm room and asking her questions, because the questions aren't removed after they're asked, you can keep asking her about herself over and over. You get two friendship points with her every time you do that, and you can keep doing it as long as you want. I don't know exactly how the point system works, so I don't know what effect this can have, if any, but I doubt it's intentional behavior.
I'm surprised with how much I liked it! The emotional moments are well written, and I'm curious for what's to come.
This is interesting! I'm down with the Night path.
Btw, the typo of "then" instead of "than" kinda irk me although I'm not a grammarnazi lol.
Not me reading the contents and IMMEDIATELY going for the night path playing this (For Rook and ??? 🙏 I HAVEN’T EVEN PLAY IT YET)
Has a unique story that got me hooked.
Oh how I love playing the hot headed former delinquent mc. Punching Lars was glorious. Cant wait for the next update. “???” SUPREMACY
Loved the update! Cannot wait to see where this goes!