Heya, thanks for the feedback. I'd have gotten to this way sooner but life's been kinda wild in and out of hospital BUT ENOUGH MOPING.
So the mismatch came about when I realized I wrote WAY too much. My initial plan was for it to start in a happy go lucky adventure, but slowly the characters realize that, yeah, they probably won't actually come back from this. That slow descent was my aim, think how soldiers in the first world war went in energized and optimistic only to have that shattered, but I can see where I missed the mark in actually doing that. Again, a common thread in all my replies. I have 0 scope management.
As for the difference between the two good endings. My intent, was to imply that if you went back to help Valenti you would gain an ally for that step longer, to actually give you more of a gap to preform the ritual. Meanwhile when you sacrifice him, the pair become catatonic and it doesn't really buy you any time. Maybe a little convoluted and by the time I got to making my second pass at that segment, I was sadly pretty busy.
All in all, I'm glad you enjoyed bits, thanks for playing.