Chapter 71: The Hanging Bridge

In the twilight of an Empire’s reign, a silent war of shadows and steel unfolded between the gilded legions of the capital and their battle-hardened brethren from the provinces. This unspoken rivalry, known to some and whispered by others, had its roots in the very soil from which these warriors sprang.

From the outset, their paths diverged. The central army, basking in the glow of Hyperion’s splendor, enjoyed the fruits of civilization. In stark contrast, their provincial counterparts honed their skills in the unforgiving crucible of untamed lands. Yet, it was the crucible of war itself that forged the bitter divide between these brothers-in-arms.

As the provincial forces spilled their blood across the continent, locked in mortal combat with foes unnumbered, the central army remained ensconced within Hyperion’s walls, their blades unbloodied under the guise of safeguarding hearth and home.

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