More than Nothing: Skydagger

[Part of the Party Time journal]

The squad remains at Hazelbrook for months until a message via raven suddenly arrives instructing them to destroy the Hazelbrook bridge that fords a deep and wide ravine. The get to it immediately, witnessing a small squad of crusaders fleeing from a massive dust cloud caused by a horde of cavalry of the Wang Dynasty. They get the squad across the bridge before collapsing it, dropping some of the pursuers to their deaths below. 

From across the chasm, general Wang Bang mocks them - showing off his coin-sword and the head of Ino Imzoro, promising to make their whole nation bow to the mighty Wang - the descendants of the Bhir'Beli Tigidig worshipers, before leading his horsemen away. The survivors tell them they are the last of Ino's crusaders, having been wiped out by the Wangs who were also purging the worm worshipers of El Kanadar from their end. 

At least there were survivors - which is more than nothing, but knowing they can't hope to survive against that number of enemies without a strategic advantage, the squad and their 35 allies quickly make their way back towards Skydagger - losing five to the giant cats in a rainy, red leaf forest as they opt to go fast instead of safe.

They then travel through a large underground cave of giant spiders but don't linger, also bypassing a supposedly abandoned prison but flickering lights in the windows and screams from within indicate otherwise. They deftly dodge pit traps around the facility, even pulling an escapee to freedom who joins them: the clockwork knight Kenrick! 

Finally they make it to the ruined Skydagger fortress and spend their time currency to train, rest up, and build walls and a siege engine just before the horde of horsemen arrive in waves. Moomba's archer team and Ughhh's siege weaponry hold most of the enemy at bay though the few that make it do kill some of the defenders. At the end, General Wang Bang himself appears and eliminates an ambush squad who waited the whole time for him (coin sword is a coin toss) but an arrow finally puts down the general ending the threat. Ever Worthlessman is among the 17 allies that died in battle.

Eventually they are reinforced by Aeternian's reserves and return to their homes as heroes. For a time.

[Inspiration from Band of Blades]