Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru - 8 - Twilight of the Golden Witch recap part 6

And still, the Rokkenjima cat box hasn't been opened completely... you've just taken a peek at what's inside. So, you must be the lid yourself.

Yeah... This time... I have to... protect everyone...

Then shouldn't you hurry up a bit?

The sound of popcorn being eaten rang out from beyond a rose bush... It was Lambdadelta.

I think you know this already, but Bern is just about to hold a big party for the Book of the Single Truth. She's gathered beings from heaven and hell, from the spirit world and from parallel worlds. If she announces what's in that book in a place like that, it'll all be too late, won't it?

I'm going... I gave Bernkastel that key. It's my responsibility. I'lll go and bring it back.

She gave me this. With it, I can come and go to the City of Books as I please... What an idiot.

...it was a bell with a blue ribbon tied to it.

Lambdadelta. Take me to the City of Books

Are you serious? That place is a den of monsters among monsters. Now that you've lost Bern's protection, you'll be weaker than a fly.

Battler takes the bell away from Ange...

Lambdadelta. I'll go there... After all, I'm an empty creature, unable to exist outside the cat box.

Ange:

No! This is my way of making up for what I did! If I don't do it myself, the future won't change at all, and I won't be able to save the cat box of the future...!

The 2 siblings argued with each other... Lambda only cared about which one would make the story more interesting... then she noticed... both Ange and Battler were holding bells.

From the very beginning, this game has belonged to the two of you.

It's now a fight between Battler+Ange, who want to close the lid on the cat box, and Bern, who wants it opened.

Okay, I'll take you there, but after that, I'm done being anything but a spectator! I just wanna have the best seats, to see what you do, and how Bern makes mincemeat out of you all...!

Erika starts the assault on the game board... Beatrice asks for her demands...

We demand that you hand the entirety of this game board over to the honorable City of Books. Doing so will give this board and its pieces the greatest honor and protection imaginable.

Beato gives her answer...

To be honest, I'm tired of this game board. it served it's purpose after I finished my game with Battler. I don't care either way, whether I surrender or whether we're vanquished by you. I simply wish to have the curtain closed on this game board and tale, regardless of who does the deed.

This was just a lie, to play for time... Their goal was to buy time for Battler and Ange to take the key back from Bern... Then use that key to let Ange open the door to the future, and see her off. Everything after that... was inside the cat box. Ange would live on in the future, with hope. No one would know whether Beato and the others were alive or dead.

Beato continued the lies... saying that Lambda was forcing them to fight instead of surrender, and that she was bringing along all her monster/demon friends to help in the fight... Rhis scared Erika, and made her want to negotiate a surrender.

At the City of Books... Lambda continues helping them get to the key... while warning them that they would stand as much chance as a fly if they were to be attacked by even Bern's cat familiars... In this place, without the usual protection of the rules of the game board, they were powerless. they only needed to steal the key and bring it back without getting caught.
cat familiars were watching the huge room with the key... but EVA decided to take their place, and she crushed all the cats in her spider web. one cat reported this to Featherine, but she said that was fine, and all part of her plan...

I only hope it does not reach the ears of my miko.

This should be enough to thank you for your excellent reading, child of man... Well now... Just who is weaving this tale? Am I for you? Or are you for me?

Battler/Ange/Lambda find the symbol "K" and an arrow, leading to where the key is... they suspect it could be a trap... but Ange inspects the red writing and recognizes it as EVA's webs...

Someone... who's always been on our side.

Back in the Golden Land... the fake fighting continues... but Erika notices a slip up by Gohda... at the beginning, he said he didn't want to fight, but then he changed to saying we should fight. she figures out their plan using her detective skills...

After Erika relays this back to Bern... she sends her green cat familiars after Lambda... Battler and Ange say that they should head straight for the key, since there'd be no chance of hiding anyway... they'll use that key as a trump card. It's a billion to one chance, but it's better than hiding and getting caught.

So, you're praying for a miracle to win against the Witch of Miracles...?

Picking a winner out of astronomically bad odds. That's the Ushiromiya family magic!!

However, there's a magic circle guarding the key.. it will break if a human touches it, but even then it'll take an hour to fully fade.
Ange:

Yeah... sure, let's play tag for an hour. I'm used to getting chased around by thugs.

You two really are out of your minds!! You're really planning to play tag against Bern and all of her cats?!

Lambda then gives them a plan that'll work better... one of them acts as a sacrifice and lures the cats away... the siblings couldn't agree which one of them to sacrifice, so they had to use rock paper scissors... Lambda joined in to and chose scissors... the other 2 chose rock... there was some suggestion to use paper first, so it turned out that way... Lambda didn't even have to join in... and they couldn't even leave without her... but she says it's alright, and gave them a fragment so they could leave on their own...

Anyway, I'm the best person for the job. You two probably wouldn't last a handful of seconds against Bern. If it's me, not only will an hour be no problem, but who knows? I might even win. And I owe her one. I've got to make this my victory and even the score.

This is your happy ending! I've already figured out what happens next, so there's no need to watch.

She turned the two of them into candies, and threw them toward the key, so that they could reach it without Bern noticing...
Lambda didn't hold back at all... Bern was attacked with multicolored candy fireworks... Bern and Lambda faught fiercely...

Back in the Golden Land... Beatrice's forces are mounting an assault on the goats... and it's working, for a while... until Erika steps in with her magic-denying abilities... crushes Beato's tower...

I am Furudo Erika, Witch of Truth!! This moment marks the dismantling of the Golden Land by truth!! Dust to dust, illusions to illusions!! I'll end your daydream for you! Come, try and remember, ghosts! Remember how you died so long agooooooooo!!

The barrier around the key was crumbling sooner than expected... but they still needed a bit more time...
Each time a battle between Lambdadelta and Bernkastel unfolded, a universe was created between the pair of them. Big bangs would take place, universes would be created, galaxies beyond number would be born and erased...
They are evenly matched... Battler wants to jump in and help Lambda... if even a weak human like him jumps in, the balanced fight could tip in Lambda's favor.
He tells Ange to go back to the Golden Land as soon as she gets the key...

Show the key to Beato... Beato will show you two doors... Then, she'll give you an easy puzzle, and tell you to open one of them... That's... the last game on my game board.

One of the two doors will lead you to the future... Don't worry. I'm sure you won't choose the wrong one now.

When the door closes, you won't be able to see our fate anymore... In other words, we'll be shut inside the cat box.

A fate inside the cat box... has endless truths... However, if you keep on looking at us, you'll see when we get annihilated. That'll put the odds of our defeat at 100%. So, to give us a miraculous victory, you must not turn back once you go through that door!

So, I'll go and help Lambdadelta. If you go back to the Golden Land after seeing me walk off like a hero, that's how my story will end for you.

The result of your battle will be sealed in the cat box... so you can never "lose".

He has one last message for the Ange of the future...

No matter what happens, never abandon the hopes that keep you alive. All of us are always behind you... If you just believe, we can even speak to you! Believe it! If one thing is certain, it's that miracles happen when you believe!

However, just then, a massive explosion occurred, and Bern was the only one left standing... Battler has to step up to face her now...
But wait... the piece of candy that Bern puts in her mouth talks to her...

You really should fix those habits you've had since you were a cat... Here's a hint: if you find a piece of candy lying on the ground somewhere, don't pick it up and eat it.

Bern spitted exploding fireworks out of her mouth.

I sort of felt like losing for a bit... But I changed my mind. If I became a single universe with you, you wouldn't whisper to me of your love anymore.