The Thing That Remains

Ella's POV/ Dawn's POV

"Dawn! Come here my baby.."

"You really shined our lives, Dawn."

"We loved you, please continue giving life to others."

Am I dreaming? What are all those? Who are them? Dawn? Is that me? The scene changed and I saw everything is destroyed. Buildings are burned and ruined. Is that really a place or an Armageddon? I can't see myself living in that place. It looks so horrible.

"Sun! I really don't want to leave you but I need to. I love you, I really do."

"Snow! Help me! I don't want to die!"

"Eirwan! You need to hurry up and kill that girl."

"Eirwan! Don't leave me alone!"

Wait! Is that Ismael? Is he Eirwan? What is he doing? And why is he in my memories? Is it really my memories?

"Dawn, you need to be strong, stay alive and save our descendants! I will leave them up to you."

"Here, takes care of this ring. Go anywhere and you will be protected."

"I'm sorry Dawn, but I need to do this."

Ismael killed me! And the school where I am is the ruined orphanage I'd lived in hundred years ago! Is this possible? Am I really reincarnated? I have so many questions in my mind but I cannot come up with a logical answer as I, myself cannot belief in those nonsense

"I hope you can remember me soon, Sun. I really missed you but I cannot tell who really am I. I feel so pathetic watching you from a distance, cannot approach you in the first place." I heard someone saying this to me. I tried to wake up which ended successfully. I am now well-aware of who I am but I still need answers, I need explanations why those things happened in the past.

"You waited long enough, don't you?" I said in a soft voice upon waking up a few minutes. He looked at me with surprise and confuse on what am I saying about.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked me in disbelief.

"Don't pretend anymore, Snow…"

"H-how?—"

"Shush, you don't have to say a word. I can now remember. I am Dawn Fuentes, your sun." I said then smiled at him sweetly. He hugged me tight after saying this to him, I can feel the longing in his embraces but I need to still look the same, like nothing changed and I do not remember all those horrible things he did to me.

"I am so happy that you can now remember me." He said happily.

"I am sorry for not recognizing you from the start."

"No, it is not your fault. You are in a different time and in a body of a different person. I promise that from now on I will protect you from other clans. I will do everything I failed to do in the past." He said while caressing my hand. I somehow felt some guilt as he may changed through those long years and his love for me is what his sincere feelings.

"But, I cannot remember all too well. I don't know how I died or what happened to us after you being adopted." He stopped a moment after I said those words. Looks like he wants to avoid those questions.

"U-uh you died because of calamity. There had an earthquake at that time and the orphanage was severely destroyed." He said but I know these are all lies. He killed me through an order of a high authority military personnel which I think is his father who adopted him.

"Is that right? But how can you still be alive until now?"

"I am also reincarnated every time I will born again. My clan always find me and help me remember everything just like how you got your memories back." He explained to me.

"Did you joined military after years of being adopted? I just want to check if my memories won't fail me" I asked reluctantly

"Yes, my father told me so. I really don't want to join because I will leave you but I have no choice." Seems real but not fell for it.

"Then why did you kill me?" I asked him straight to his dark eyes. He did not talk for a moment, instead he got up and kneel in front of me.

"I am really sorry sun. That time the military decided to execute people who have strong faith or connection with the religious sects. I wanted to protect you that is why I don't include Colegio de Niños Huerfanos de San Juan de Letran which is our orphanage but they found it later. They want me to prove my loyalty with them having my biological parents as hostages." He narrated.

"Your biological parents? I thought they were dead that is why you were in the orphanage." He smiled a little with the words I've said.

"My parents are the sister and priest in that orphanage. My existence was kept to everyone, my mother had me when my father decided to enter being a seminarist and leaving us for his calling. After a year, my mother cannot take the struggle of being a single parent, she took her courage and tell to my father the truth. After confessing, they'd came up with a solution of me being an orphaned and my mother entered the church. Knowing this truth, they both know that this is a great sin and people at that time are aggressive, they kill the child of person who served in religious institutions which my parents wanted to avoid. I just found it the day I was up for adoption, my mother cried and she told me the truth." I felt the sadness in his voice, the hardship they'd faced in that time, I also felt sad for him.

"Then the military knew this all along and used it to kill me?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I am so sorry Sun." I hugged him because I cannot say any words that can comfort him this time.

"Wait, you should be careful to Alex. Her clan opposed you and your family." He warned me,

"You know my family?"

"I think I am not the one who has the right to explained everything to you. I will call and let them meet you. They missed you a lot." He said while smiling so I just nod my head and smile back at him.

Alex's POV

I heard someone talking inside the infirmary so I opened the door a little and listen to it. I cannot hear all the words they said but I think Ella can now remember. Hyacinth need to know this news before anyone else would.

"Hello?"

"Hello Hyacinth, I think Dawn can now remember everything. You should call the group we need to have a meeting."

I go back to our headquarters and enter the room that can be opened with our group's fingerprints.

"So, is everybody here?" I put down my things on the table.

"Yes. So, Dawn really can now remember everything?" Isiene asked.

"Seems like based on her conversation with Eirwan."

"Erwan? As in that guy that came from the winter clan?" Kyra ensures. I just nod with their questions leaving them a deep sigh.

"Why is she with him? Does Eirwan gave up the title?" Hyacinth said.

"I think he just want to be close with Dawn again like how he betrayed her in the past." Isiene answered.

"But maybe his clan really joined hands with the spring family to be included in being a noble." Kyra guessed.

"Quiet guys, our guesses would not do anything if we don't confirm it either way." I suggest.

"Now, I will look closely with her, you Isiene will hack all her accounts and gadgets report if you notice any unusual behavior of her being with Eirwan, then Kyra and Hya will tail her." I commanded and leave the room.

The next day…

I need to put my plans quickly before Dawn realized it. I look for Dawn all over the campus but I cannot find her anywhere. I look at the rooms, library, clinic and also restrooms but no traces of her. Then I realized that there is one place that I haven't seen, the research center. I went upstairs and she really inside. She did not notice my presence so I just talk to her.

"So, I think you can now remember." I said then lean on the table. She faced me upon hearing my voice, surprised.

"Yes, but I think you are not in my memories." She said which made me laughed.

"Of course, you don't have any memories with me because I am just the girl in the orphanage that is being outcast everytime." I said.

"Compared to the both of you, I really don't have any family that I can call of. I am really an orphaned." I continued.

"Then what did I do to you?" she asked with her confused look.

"To be honest, not with me but with the clan that adopted me years after."

"What?"

"You received something right? A ring?" I asked.

"What ring?"

"The ring that is invincible they said. Once you have this you are protected. You know why?" because that is the ring of the Queen. It was passed down to the families who have the capability to remain their nobility in them. Everyone was aware of this ring that is why whenever they saw it on you, you can never be touched by anyone." I narrated to her.

"But I don't have it." I was surprise by her answer. It is not with her? How come?

"Don't fool me Dawn. Your family is the last one who acquired it before you died in the past."

"I really don't have it Alex. And I don't know what is that ring by the way." I can sense the authenticity in her voice. maybe she really doesn't have the idea where it is.

"Okay. Forget what I said to you. Just think that I am just sharing my life with you." I said then leave the room without waiting her to answer me.

Mother need to know this, maybe other clans owned it right now.

Ella's POV

So that's what they really need with me. I took out my necklace and look at it carefully. I realized that this is the ring that my memories showed me and what they are looking for. Up until now, our family still have the nobility and I am the one who had it all along.

"You need to give that to me, Dawn." I look at someone who talked behind my back.

"Why you need it Ismael? Are you the same with them?"

"Our family need it. we are still in the blacklist in the Spain and our ancestors would not face any justice if we don't have that ring."

"How can I believe you? You can be just any families out there. Having their huge green in obtaining treasures and riches all over the world."

"Then maybe you can come with me in our place in order for them to explain it all to you." He said. That really got me intrigued.

I come with him and his family explained it all to me. How can they be removed to being a blacklist wall-known family in the Spain and what are the requirements.

"I have the evidences now on how we can clear the names of our ancestors. I just want them to have a peaceful life up there enjoying the justice they must have." His father said to me.

"I got it sir, but this is not an easy decision. I kept this ring from the moment I was born, being told to not misplace or lost it anywhere."

"You really did your best in protecting it. Your family brought back the ruined orphanage and made it into an elite school here in our country. You helped children who are lack in emotional and educational support throughout those long years. In 400 years of existence of that institution, it achieved numerous successes and overcame several challenges. This time, we are the who needs it. It is also embarrassing for us to ask for a huge favor like this but we are pleading to you" after hearing this, I think they have the right to have the ownership of the ring.

"Okay, I will give this to you. But please take good care of it." I said then hand over the ring with them.

"Yes we will, thank you so much." I got up and ready to leave the place when his father said something that risen my anger.

"So you really think that our ancestors need it? oh come on, they are dead hundred years ago they will not know it anymore." I looked back at him and look with disbelief.

"What are you talking about? Ismael? You lied to me?" I look at Ismael waiting for his answer.

"No! I don't know it either." He replied

"Of course, he did not know, he is a catastrophic child. He should not be born in the first place. But what are going to do now? He is right here breathing. You, Eirwan will marry Alexandra and obtain the nobility of this ring" He said.

"What?! I don't want to marry her!" Eirwan yelled.

"You don't have the choice. Marry her or you will die."

"Then kill me, I suppose that you cannot do it. Come on Ella!" he answered back and hold my wrist. Before I can move my foot forward, I heard a loud sound of gun behind me and made Eirwan release his grip and collapse on the ground.

"EIRWAN!" I ran towards him and hold his head towards me.

"Come on Eirwan! Don't leave me alone." I said between my sobs.

"Eirwan! Don't leave me alone!" what is that? A memory?

"Please don't die, I will call some help."

"Why did you have to kill yourself to? You really an idiot!" I said in my mind.

Wait, Eirwan did not kill me. His gun was just pointed at me but a military officer behind him who clutch the trigger. Why did I not know this sooner? How come my memories fail me and come in a situation like this? I will call for help but Eirwan stopped me, he smiled at me brightly while shaking his head meaning that I should not do it. I just cried my eyes out and brawled like a child. He really loves me, he really protected me but I did not see it in the first place. I just wanted to spend some time in this present time but now I can't, I did not have time. Everything is so fast, we just met last few days and now you are in my arms lying on the cold ground, bathing in your own blood. I did not do anything, I cannot. I just want to stay with you until your last breath because I now realize that I cannot have another day or night with you. You are my protector; my knight and I am always in a damsel distress. Please, I just want to have another chance to pay back all the things that you did to me. Please, just one more life with you…

Third Person's POV

Another hundred years had passed and the spring broke early than its usual time. Winter ended so quickly than anyone can imagined, another beginning has come and another life was given. Two people were planned to encounter each other, this time the fate allowed them to make their own one. A young girl entering a school in Manila, being nervous in her first time but gathered all her courage to take the first step of her life; a step that can change her next life.

"Hi? Are you new here?" a young boy approached her.

"By the way, I am Eirwan. You?"

"Nice to meet you, I am Dawn"

-END-