Chapter 74: The Frozen Pact
A chilling blizzard swept across the mountainous outskirts of Emberfall as Talia stood before the Council of Ancients, a hidden conclave of elder dragons who had long withdrawn from worldly affairs. Her breath crystallized in the air as she presented the flame-bound scroll from Elder Ignis.
"You seek to awaken the Dragonheart and yet carry the weight of mortal sorrow," murmured Elder Seryn, his scales silver with age.
Talia bowed. "The Hidden Flame has returned, but so has the curse. We need your aid, not for war, but for balance."
The elders deliberated, testing her resolve with visions of what might come. In the end, she passed their trials of will. With the pact sealed, the frozen mountain began to thaw—signaling the awakening of the slumbering flame core beneath it.
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Chapter 75: The Reunion of Bonds
Back in Emberfall, Keir wrestled with the weight of his dual nature. His human side longed for a simple life, but the dragon within raged for vengeance. When Talia returned, she found him training alone under the moonlight.
They clashed—not in anger, but as a test. Their powers resonated, mirroring each other. After their duel, Keir finally opened up about his dreams of a time when dragons and humans weren't enemies.
Talia promised him: "We'll make it so again."
And with that vow, they formed the true bond of rider and dragon.
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Chapter 76: The Whispering Flames
As word of the Hidden Flame's reawakening spread, dark forces stirred. The fallen phoenix, Ashriel, once imprisoned in the Void Temple, broke free. Her wings cast shadows over the desert kingdom of Silithar.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Maid order began regrouping under Talia's banner. Each member who returned brought their own burdens, but also ancient secrets. One revealed the existence of the Ember Codex—a tome containing a forgotten prophecy.
Talia read its verses aloud: "When flame walks in maid's skin and sky weeps ash, balance will burn anew or shatter."
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Chapter 77: The Siege of Silithar
Ashriel launched an assault on Silithar, turning its golden sands to glass with her fire. Talia and Keir led a rescue effort, riding on the wind dragons of the northern isles. Their entry was met with fierce resistance.
The battle was not just of fire and steel, but of ideals. Ashriel claimed the world had failed her kind—and now she would cleanse it.
In a tense confrontation, Talia reached into Ashriel's heart, revealing memories of her time as a guardian, not a destroyer. For a moment, the flames wavered.
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Chapter 78: The Broken Chain
In the aftermath of Silithar's siege, Keir discovered a hidden vault containing a corrupted Dragoncore—proof that someone had been manipulating the flame spirits for centuries.
Elder Ignis confessed: a secret faction of dragons, the Obsidian Circle, had long planned to dominate mortals through control of flame-born relics. Ashriel had once been their tool.
Talia knew then: to protect the future, they must sever the old chains. With Keir and the others, she began destroying every relic linked to the Circle, risking the wrath of ancient forces.
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Chapter 79: The Maid's Awakening
The destruction of the last relic triggered a ripple through the flame planes. Talia collapsed, her spirit drawn into the Ember Veil—a realm between life and death, where the first Dragon Maid made her pact.
There, she met Serapha, the original flame-bound maiden. Serapha revealed the true origin of the maid order: not warriors, but keepers of harmony. She gifted Talia her ember sigil, unlocking the full extent of her power.
Talia awoke in Keir's arms, glowing with divine light.
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Chapter 80: The Promise of Ash and Flame
With the Ember Veil closing and the Obsidian Circle exposed, Talia called the kingdoms for a final gathering—not of war, but unity. Dragon and human, phoenix and wyrm, all stood at the Twilight Summit.
She spoke not as a soldier, but as a bridge: "We've burned one another for generations. Let this be the first sunrise where we do not."
Keir stood beside her, wings unfurled. The flame sigil pulsed between them, and in that moment, peace began—not through force, but through understanding.
And so, the age of the Hidden Flame ended not with fire—but with hope.
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[Announcement: Important News About The Dragon Maid: Hidden Flame]
Dear readers,
Thank you for following The Dragon Maid: Hidden Flame on this journey. Your support means the world to me.
As of Chapter 80, the story will officially conclude in its current form. However, this is not the end.
After reflecting on the feedback and with a renewed vision, I've decided to rework the entire series from the ground up. The world of Talia, Keir, and the Hidden Flame is far from over—in fact, it's about to be reborn even stronger.
The new version will feature:
A tighter, more engaging plot
Sharper pacing and vivid openings
Stronger character development
A structure more aligned with current WebNovel trends
This is our second chance—and I promise to pour everything I've learned into making this story truly unforgettable.
Stay tuned for updates on the reworked launch. Until then, thank you again for walking this path with me. Let's rise from the ashes together.
With warmth and fire,
[Mrjsensei]