Conquering The Novel

As soon as Ivica finished writing the letter, she lay on the sofa, her body racked with pain and her face streaked with blood and tears.

She heard her sister's panicked voice calling out to her, and struggled to sit up and face her.

"S-Sister?" Ivica managed to whisper, her voice barely audible over the sound of her ragged breathing.

"W-Why did you use your ability when you're already so weakened?" Evica's voice was thick with worry as she rushed to Ivica's side, pulling out advanced healing potions from her storage ring.

But Ivica knew it was too late. She held Evica's hand to stop her from wasting the precious potions and the little time she had left.

"I...will be leaving first, sister. I'm sorry I won't be able to be with you any longer," Ivica said, her voice barely above a whisper. She moved her bloodied hand toward Evica's cheek, a small, sorrowful smile on her lips and tears welling in her eyes.

"N-No, please don't leave me alone, sister," Evica pleaded, holding Ivica's hand tightly and feeling the tears streaming down her face. "What am I supposed to do without you in this world?"

As Ivica took her final breaths, Evica felt a sense of crushing loss and desperation. Ivica had always been the strong one, the one who protected her and kept her safe, she was her only family, and now she was fading away before her very eyes. Evica didn't know how she was going to go on without her sister by her side.

***

Ivica's vision began to blur, and she knew that this was the end for her.

As her life flashed before her eyes, Ivica found herself caught in a vivid flashback of her past. She was transported to a bustling city where she saw two young girls who looked to be around seven or eight years old, dressed in tattered clothes.

One of the girls had striking red hair and sharp emerald green eyes that belied a sense of maturity and resilience not commonly seen in children so young.

The other girl had blue hair and eyes that betrayed a timid and vulnerable personality. She held tightly onto her sister's ragged clothing, looking up at her with a scared expression.

Ivica smiled as she watched the scene play out before her, immediately recognizing the two girls as herself and her sister, Evica. The memory was so vivid, it was as if she were reliving it again.

"Sister, I'm hungry," the blue-haired girl, Evica, said in a low voice.

"Don't worry, I'll buy you something to eat after I sell this," Ivica replied, her voice assuring and calm. Her sister nodded timidly, comforted by her sister's words.

Ivica had found a small trinket on the street and decided to sell it so they could buy some food. She had hoped that they would have a decent meal that day.

But when Ivica reached the marketplace, she was met with hostility and cruelty from the vendors. They made fun of her and her sister for their ragged clothes and accused them of stealing the trinket they were trying to sell.

Ivica was enraged. She knew that she had found the trinket on the street and had not stolen it. Yet, she couldn't convince the vendors to buy it.

It was a tragic scene, one that left a lasting impression on Ivica. Because as she left the marketplace to sell the trinket to some other vendors, she found herself and her sister suddenly surrounded by some thugs who wanted to steal the trinket and kidnap them.

"How adorable you both are. Why don't you come with me? I'll give you a job and some good food to eat. You both look hungry, don't you?" A thin, frail-looking man disguised as a woman spoke as she held a small fan in front of her mouth.

Despite her youth, Ivica was no fool. She knew that the man in front of her had no good intentions toward her and her sister. So, she refused his offer and turned to leave. But as they tried to leave, the thugs surrounded them and refused to let them go.

It was broad daylight in the middle of the bustling city, yet no one bothered to try to help them.

"Tch, she's trying to put her hands on those young girls again, huh?" one of the onlookers said.

"Who cares? They're just beggars. At least they'll get some food to eat," another onlooker stated.

"S-Sister, what should we do?" Evica asked her sister telepathically in a scared voice as she saw their evil grins.

"Don't worry, just close your eyes for me, okay? It will be over in a minute," Ivica replied with a smile.

Although confused by her sister's unusual request, Evica nevertheless complied with it, trusting her more than anything else in this world.

As the thugs advanced to grab them, Ivica took a deep breath and began to concentrate. Suddenly, she unleashed her magical power in the form of fire, and flames shot out from her hands like a flamethrower, engulfing the thugs in a sea of fire.

!?

AHHHHH—

The thugs screamed in agony, writhing in pain. Ivica could feel the heat of the flames and the power that flowed through her body.

And all the onlookers who were just watching the girls being about to be kidnapped had their eyes widen in shock for a moment before they began to leave the place in a hurry, worried that Ivica would attack them as well.

When the last of the thugs, the thin, frail man, tried to escape but fell to the ground engulfed in flames screaming, Evica opened her eyes and looked at her sister with a mix of shock and confusion. Ivica smiled at her reassuringly, letting her know that everything was going to be okay.

It was the first time Ivica had taken someone's life, but she didn't feel any remorse. It was a harsh reminder of the cruelty of the world they lived in, but also a testament to her determination to survive and protect her sister.

No one cared about the fate of the thugs who had attacked the girls, but news of Ivica's impressive display of magical prowess quickly spread throughout the city after the incident. It wasn't long before the dean of the prestigious Soreh Academy, who happened to be in the city at the time, heard about her and sought to meet her in person.

Impressed by Ivica's abilities, the dean offered to take her and her sister under her wing and train them. It was an opportunity that Ivica couldn't pass up, especially considering the dangers that still lurked in the city. She knew that she wouldn't be able to save her sister every time, so the chance to gain more knowledge and skills to protect themselves was too valuable to ignore.

A few days later, Ivica found herself sitting in the dean's luxurious mansion, surrounded by opulence that felt foreign and overwhelming to her. Lady Isadora Livingstone, the dean herself, had taken a personal interest in Ivica and her sister.

Isadora was a tall, regal woman with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes. Despite her intimidating presence, she welcomed them with open arms, treating them as her own children.

During one of their magic lessons, Isadora revealed to them that they were actually half-dragons. Ivica and her sister were surprised and a little frightened, but Isadora explained that their dragon blood was what gave them their unique abilities. She also warned them of the dangers that came with their lineage, urging them to keep it a secret to protect themselves from those who would seek to harm them.

***

Isadora also explained to them that, due to Evica's weaker magical abilities, they would need to share the same identity to protect her. She presented them with a magical item that would disguise their true identities and make them appear as one person.

From that day forward, Ivica and her sister were known as a single person named "Ivica".

Isadora's guidance and protection proved invaluable for them as despite Ivica's young age she was able to continue to train at the Soreh Academy.

And while Ivica excelled in her magical abilities, her sister focused more on gaining bookish knowledge and was home-tutored by Isadora.

Their bond with their adoptive mother grew stronger with each passing day, but their happiness was short-lived.

One day, Isadora suddenly passed away, leaving Ivica and her sister alone once again at the age of fifteen.

Isadora's passing was a devastating blow to both sisters. They had lost the only family they had known and trusted since their parents' deaths.

The sisters were left to mourn their loss and continue their studies on their own and struggled to come to terms with the fact that their only source of safety and guidance was now gone.

Despite the pain, Ivica was determined to carry on her legacy and make her adoptive mother proud.