Disclaimer: I hold no ownership – partial or otherwise – of the Umineko series.

This idea has been jumping about in my head for a whole week now and it's been driving me mad, so I decided to post it.

This is my first ever entry in this community, so I would have to say the customary "Please go easy on me."

Warning: possible spoilers for Chiru eps five and six

Endless…

Battler felt that word best described the unstopping tugs at his heard he felt every time he looked at her.

Her blank eyes and unmoving form had felt so wrong at the time, so unlike the witch whose company he had come to grow accustomed to.

Yet despite that, he made it a point to spend almost every day after the fourth game with her, studying their previous matches and trying to understand the thoughts behind her moves while in the company of the multiple members of Beatrice's household as the collective cared for the unmoving witch.

His thoughts would go back to multiple instances in the previous four games whenever he was alone during his few walks around Kuwadorian, oftentimes going back to his former opponent's accusation of a sin he committed against her six years prior to the start of their first game; most specifically the disappointed look in her eyes.

The sole human inhabitant of Rokkenjima's game board found himself unsure of whether or not he preferred the hurt look she gave him to the total unresponsiveness he was receiving after Beatrice was skewered with the wedges of blue truth.

Too strange, it was; that rather than rejoicing at his moment of triumph over the woman that he had grown to hate over the twelve years they had played against each other in the Meta-world, he was unrelentingly disturbed by her falling into despair afterward, calling for death but unable to be granted it until the game was brought to a close.

"Is this alright with you?" Virgilia had asked him while he went about his regular attempts at understanding Beatrice's moves while the former combed her student's golden hair. "It seems the fifth game has already begun."

They were no longer at Kuwadorian, but rather at the main mansion where the rest of the Ushiromiya were slain.

"Against anyone but Beato, how could there be any meaning to this game?" He replied to her, unwilling to acknowledge anyone else as his opponent.

Ultimately, though, play against Bernkastel and Lambdadelta he did, out of respect for Beatrice's game that he would allow no one but he and she to finish, and to protect the honor of his aunt Natsuhi whom he refused to accept as the perpetrator.

He lost her then, during the game; his holding her in his arms as she said her goodbye right before fading:

"Thank you, lair; goodbye…

"I'm sorry."

But for he, it could not end there. Despite the loss he felt, he fought on to preserve the game that they both started.

At the Court of Illusions, he battled the Witch of Miracles and the Witch of Certainty, along with Bernkastel's pieces: the detective Erika and the inquisitor Dlanor Knox.

A battler that he initially lost, and one that ended in his death.

After that, however, he found it more than a little ironic; almost laughing to himself as he got up again, holding the sword that had been used to take his life.

For he, Ushiromiya Battler who played four games trying to deny the existence of witches was placed in the position of Endless Sorcerer, new Lord of Rokkenjima and game master.

But once the trial had been concluded, and Erika's theory had been rebuffed, the top thing on his agenda had absolutely nothing to do with the weaving of the sixth game.

Battler spent the first few months in his position studying under Virgilia, learning the ways of the art so that it may serve on purpose:

-The revival of Beatrice.

~TtT~

"Excuse my intrusion your majesty." It was Ronove, the one person Battler had been willing to speak to him as the latter mentally prepared himself for what he would have to do. "But the preparations have been completed." The Endless Sorcerer turned to face his head servant, gesturing for the latter to stand. "All we now need is for you to complete the revival spell."

Waving the demon away, Battler returned his gaze to the portrait of his lost witch that was placed right behind the desk of his study, thinking…

The separation had been painful in its own way, the old tugs turning into throbs of pain that would sear through him on most nights, a torment as endless as the one he imagined she was made to face until she died. Worse yet, he had come to understand that he was at fault for it as well.

His success on the revival would serve as both his redemption and his apology to her for all he had done, both what he was conscious of and that sin he had forgotten from the last time he had journeyed to the island.

He was certain he would succeed, considering the hundreds of times he had practiced the spell with Virgilia, and he felt the pain subside at the thought of seeing her again. Something he did not feel much of during the times of the games: Hope, coursed through him.

The ritual was time-consuming, albeit had become simple for the sorcerer to perform. Golden butterflies fluttering from his body to gather at the collection of symbols just feet before him; he recalling all that Beatrice was to him, the confident woman that held no shame in showing off her capabilities.

When her body was completely formed, he was first to rush to her and immediately lift her up and hold her close, smiling down at her and calling out her name:

"Beato…"

If there was anything he could imagine about the Beatrice he lost before, Battler was certain that the witch would retaliate with either a laugh or a startled expression.

When he heard her first words though, Battler felt his heart break, all the hope that had been growing inside him withering away with the completely innocent look in her eyes, so unlike the Beatrice he had known:

"Greetings, father."

And it was then that Battler wondered if he would suffer this renewed pain for all eternity.

I am severely disappointed in the outcome of this first attempt; I actually found myself wondering why I bothered to finish it, but then I recalled Pa's lecture on always finishing what I begin.

I also now wonder if I am a masochist for posting this piece – which suffers from severe lack of information – up on .

Still, though, I apologize for any discrepancies with canon (I am having a lot of trouble finding SN vids on youtube and I can't seem to find it at all in my country) and I hope to hear what you think of it.

This might end up becoming a one-shot series, but that's still up in the air.

Sincerely,

Toph the Trickster