Fragment

Fragments (カケラ) are bits of light that represent parallel universes. Bernkastel refers to fragments as "books" and gives them different names. These parallel worlds can be viewed from the sea of fragments within the Meta-World. The only characters that have demonstrated an ability to travel between fragments are Rika Furude, Satoko Houjou, Hanyuu, Bernkastel, Lambdadelta, and Featherine Augustus Aurora. Fragments play an important role in the When They Cry franchise, most notably in and.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
In, Rika Furude and Hanyuu travel between fragments after Rika's death in search of a world wherein Rika survives June 1983. Each chapter within the series takes place in a different fragment.

In, Satoko Houjou is given the ability to travel between fragments by Featherine Augustus Aurora.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni
In, fragments are used as Game Boards by the supernatural characters within the story.

In, fragments are represented as books in Featherine Augustus Aurora's library, rather than as shards in the Sea of Fragments. Chick Beatrice is allowed to read through these books to help learn of her original nature as Beatrice.

In, Willard H. Wright notes that the game is playing is taking place on a world stitched together from several disparate Fragments.