Episode Twenty One - Picking up the Pieces

In this gripping and emotional episode of Borkum the Battler: Arcane Isles Chronicles, the battle may be over—but the true struggle has just begun. After a brutal clash with hill giants and ogres, Borkum races to save the life of Hawk Tuah, his beloved companion, who lies bloodied and broken. With the help of Brindle’s magical Ring of Regeneration and the strength of the village matrons, a desperate push to Elaria begins. But not everyone emerges unscathed.

Awakening in a makeshift infirmary, Borkum faces the harsh realities of war—grief, survival, and the uncertain fate of his friends. As he learns the cost of their hard-won victory, Borkum sets out with Lykxnzzl to “pick up the pieces,” both literal and emotional. Together, they recover magical dwarven weapons, burn the giant corpses to stave off disease, and unearth a mysterious diamond from a frost giant far from home.

Full of emotional weight, battlefield recovery, and hints of deeper arcane mysteries, this chapter explores the toll of adventuring life in the Arcane Isles, a fantasy world steeped in Dungeons & Dragons lore. With heartfelt moments, heroism, magical artifacts, and camaraderie, this episode is a must-listen for fans of epic fantasy, high-stakes storytelling, and classic tabletop adventures.

Keywords: Arcane Isles, Borkum the Battler, Hawk Tuah, Dungeons and Dragons podcast, fantasy audio drama, hill giants, frost giant, D&D storytelling, dwarven magic weapons, Ring of Regeneration, emotional fantasy story, high fantasy podcast, tabletop RPG narrative, heroic fantasy tale

Transcript

Picking up the Pieces

I rushed to my precious Hawk Tuah’s side and picked up her bloodied and bruised body. I cradled her with what strength I had left as if she was a baby.  She was coughing blood up. Frothing pink bubbles at the mouth. She was shaking uncontrollably. Her face was swollen and was a horrible shade of black and blue. 

“You are such an ass Borkum,” she mumbled to me. 

“I know, I am sorry, I am so sorry,” I begged her as I clutched her closely. “Please don’t go into the hereafter, please don’t give in.” I begged my Hawk Tuah.

 “Borkum here, this will help her.” Brindle said with apprehension as he slipped off his Ring of Regeneration and slipped it onto Hawk’s Tuah’s swollen and broken finger. The ring went to work and began to stem the tide of the damage inflicted by the giants. It might have been the very thing that kept her from dying at that moment.

I yelled for the ladies to grab a nearby cart, and I placed Hawk Tuah gently into it. I then scooped up Edward’s limp body and placed him into the cart as well. He was still breathing. But just barely. 

“We need to get them to Elaria!” Brindle shrieked. The alarm in his voice meant there was no time to waste. 

I nodded and with what strength I had I began pushing the cart to the battlefield, yelling for Elaira.  So weak was I, I could barely move the cart. Brindle leaned in and yet, between the two of us, we could not push the cart more than a few feet. 

“Help me,” I cried out to the gods of war and battle that I worshiped. “Please help her; not me I ask of you!” I cried out to those who listen from high above but choose to not answer those of us below. 

But, at that moment, my cries for help were heard by others. One of the matrons yelled to the other ladies, “Come on ladies, we got curing to do!”

The ladies all rushed to the cart, gathered around it, and began pushing and pulling the cart with their collective might. Brindle jumped into it and began yelling for Elaria as he encouraged the ladies to the battlefield. In everyone’s excitement, they did not observe my collapse onto the courtyard. 

The cold stone felt good on my face. I could feel the blood from my wounds leaving my body. I struggled to breathe. Each breath sent pangs of sharp pain throughout my body.  I looked up and my last vision was the cart rounding the corner, getting closer to Elaria and to help. At that moment, with Brindle at her side, I knew Hawk Tuah would be okay. I took a deep breath then slipped into a darkness unsure if I would return from it.

I woke up hours later not sure where I was or what day it was. As I looked around, I recognized it was the tavern. A large fire roared in the fireplace keeping the room warm and lit with a deep orange light. I could see the tavern had been set up as an infirmary and many of our wounded villagers were housed here receiving care from the ladies.

“How are you feeling,” a kind lady asked me. It was the butcher’s wife who saw me beginning to stir and came over to check on me. 

“Hawk Tuah is she okay?” I mumbled.

“She is resting. But she is out of danger now.” The lady replied with sympathy as she wiped the sweat from head. 

“What about Edward, young fellow. Handy with a bow. How is he?” I queried worriedly.  

“He is okay too. He is asleep just three cots over from you.” She replied as she pointed towards him.

I glanced towards him and saw him sleeping. 

‘Water please?” I requested. I was parched. My throat was swollen. I had no spit.  

The matron brought over a jug of water and started to pour the water into a cup, when I motioned for the whole pitcher. I gulped the water with much of it missing my mouth and spilling to the ground. 

“More please,” I asked the matron. She smiled and went and refilled the pitcher and brought it back. Again, I took the whole pitcher and drank it down. Slower this time. I spilled much less. I swallowed much more. I could flex my legs and found they could respond. I forced myself to stand up and waited for the cobwebs to clear. I was wounded. I hurt. But I was alive. 

The matron tried to stop me. “You need to rest more, just lay here. Hawk Tuah is close to you.” she whispered so as not to wake the others.

“Thank you so much,” I whispered back ignoring her. “Have you seen the dark elf, the halfing, or the cleric?”

“The dark elf has been in the woods gathering herbs for potions. The halfling has been holed up at the apothecary making potions and salves. Elaria was here an hour ago, but she moves around the various infirmary’s caring for the wounded.”

“Hawk Tuah, where is Hawk Tuah?” I queried the matron, worried to my core. 

“Why, the young girl is right here next to you. Her last words were for us to place her next to you, in case you needed anything.” The matron whispered, pointing to Hawk Tuah who was lying in the cot next to me. 

Shocked at what I just heard, I looked over and saw my Hawk Tuah swaddled like a young baby. I simply did not recognize her. The swelling to her face and the bruising was so extensive that if the matron had not told me I was looking at Hawk Tuah, I would have mistaken her for one of our badly wounded villagers. I fell to my knees and placed my arms over her body. I could hear her labored breathing. 

“Please don’t leave me,” I whispered, “Hawk Tuah, please don’t leave me.” Moments later, overcome with emotion that I did not know I had, I did something that I had no memory of. I cried like a newborn baby. 

 I was awoken hours later by Lykxnzzl shaking me gently. “Come on old boy, Hawk Tuah is going to be okay.” 

I had fallen asleep kneeling next to Hawk Tuah, and everyone had been too afraid to try and disturb me or move me. 

“Let’s get you some food. I am sure your simple barbarian brain and body are overly famished by know?” Lykxnzzl knew how to get my attention. He helped me up and walked me out to the courtyard. Tables had been set up and food was being served communal style. As I came into view of the crowd at the tables, they stood to their feet to cheer and clap for me. A tear came to my eye at the gratitude shown to me by the villagers. I thanked everyone and sat down. 

Moments later, plates of food were brought to me; warm bread, roasted meats and fresh grilled vegetables. I began shoveling the food into my mouth as I was famished beyond memory. In between bites and swallows of cold ale to wash it down, I queried Lykxnzzl on our situation. 

He paused for a drink of ale. “The good news is we won the battle with the Hill giants and their ogres, as you can tell. And, everyone here knows it was you Borkum, it was you who turned the battle in our favor. You came in from behind with that big ole’ battle axe and began swinging as if you were bringing Hell itself. You laid waste to those giants and ogres. Everyone has been talking about you. I am sure in a few months; every expecting mother here will name their child Borkum in your honor. They may even rename this town in your honor. Do enjoy your moment of glory dear chap.”  

Lykxnzzl stood up and held his ale high, “To Borkum! To Borkum!” he yelled out eagerly.  The enthusiastic crowd rose to their feet also, hoisted their ales and repeated it several more times and clapped and cheered eagerly. 

Lykxnzzl paused to finish his ale and raised his hand for another, “But it was tough Borkum. The lost lost seven villagers. Which had it not been for Elaria and Brindle, would have been much worse. All but a few men are wounded. Elaria has not stopped moving among the wounded saying her prayers, administering her potions, and applying her salves. Brindle is in the apothecary putting together whatever Elaira needs and has been working hand in hand with her. He is quite a handy halfling to keep around.”

“What about Hawk Tuah and Edward.” I asked worried.

“Edward is going to be okay. He is pretty tough. Hawk Tuah, however, she is hurt badly. It may be a months before she can travel. Brindle’s ring has kept her from slipping into the afterlife. But it was close. Hopefully she will be okay. Or, Borkum, and you need to prepare yourself; she may not be okay. We just don’t know yet.” 

“Months!” I exclaimed, spitting food out of my mouth, shocked at what I just heard. 

“Borkum, Hawk Tuah is not a warrior. She is not built like you. She cannot take the kind of beating that the hill giant and ogres gave her. She took many blows defending those ladies. She has more broken bones than whole bones right now. She will need time to heal her body. She may even have brain damage. Emotionally, it may take a lot longer for her to heal.”

I looked around dismayed. For some reason, I assumed everything would be okay and that nothing bad was ever going to happen to us. I was wrong. I was naive and stupid. Death was just all too common in this adventuring business, and it seemed to follow me everywhere I went. Why should I be surprised if it came for me and my friends.

I swallowed my ale and asked for another. And, then another.

“Tell me about this pale giant you stumbled onto and how you came in possession of his axe”, Lykxnzzl asked.

I then went into the story of how I fought the pale giant and Skyclaw came to my aid at just the right moment. And, how he died defending me. He saved my life. I had to tell Hawk Tuah this story at some point.

“That is terrible. I had hoped he was just in a tree somewhere watching all of these going ons.” Lykxnzzl added, “And, that pale giant you fought, was most likely a frost giant. A giant of the frozen north. Odd that one would be this far south.”

“Speaking of the pale giant, where is the axe I had?”  I asked realizing it was missing from my personage. A tinge of panic struck me.

“I have it locked up with the butcher. I recovered your newfound weapon and made sure it was kept safe. Those runes on that axe signifies that it is dwarven made. Normally, I would not utter or even read their words; my people and their people have a long history of conflict. But that axe is magical Borkum. Its name is “Giant Cleaver”. Odd that a Frost Giant would be carrying a weapon meant to kill giants.”

“What have you done with the giants and ogres?” I asked.

“Nothing yet, but we need to do something. A stench is beginning to rise from their bodies. We have left them where they were slain.”

“Is that the odor I smell?” I asked.

“Oh yeah,” Lykxnzzl replied. “And, its only getting worse.”

The butcher saw me in the crowd and came over and hugged me with a great bear hug. “You did it!” he bellowed. “This town owes you so much,” he bellowed.

The crowd cheered again and raised their ales to salute me. 

I waved to the crowd my thanks.

I turned to Lykxnzzl and said quietly, “You know, we need to loot the giants.”

“Yes, we do Borkum, we need to “pick up the pieces: as they say in our business,” Lykxnzzl whispered back at me smiling.

After the meal, I summoned the butcher to join Lykxnzzl and myself.

“We need a few strong men Sir. We need to set fire to those bodies. Or else sickness will follow their corpses.” I said.

“Agreed,” he replied. 

By evening time, the Butcher had rounded up a few men and a bunch of boys and we went to the battlefield. The villagers had already removed their dead. Now, it was just the giants, ogres and wolves. We sent the young boys off for firewood. While the rest of us gathered the bodies and stacked them high. 

Of course, we checked their bodies and found some coinages; coppers and silvers mostly. A couple of gold pieces. But not much. We gave them to the townsfolk for their time and effort. 

“Not much here,” Lykxnzzl noted.

“Let’s go check the pale giant,” I added. 

When we got to the pale giant’s body, Lykxnzzl, whispered through his teeth. “Boy, he is one big frost giant. I have never seen one this close. In fact, I have never seen a giant. But have heard many tales of them and their cousins, the fire giants. Truth be told, I know some of my people even trade with the fire giants, but that is another story for another day.

“It was a close call. Too close.” I added glumly. We searched through the giant’s body and found several small clear gems and a pouch of gold pieces.

“Now we are getting somewhere,” Lykxnzzl commented.

“Wait till you see this,” I added as found my hiding spot and recovered the diamond that the giant had offered me to spare his life.

“Well, well, well, that is a diamond of the first-rate kind.”  Lykxnzzl commented, as he held the baseball size stone in his hand. 

I then reached in underneath the frost giants giant’s body and removed the broad sword that I hid there. 

“What do you make of this?” I asked Lykxnzzl.

He held the broad sword with disdain. “This weapon was made by the same dwarven smith that made the axe. Here are his markings. These runes denote its history and offer a magical incantation. Its name in the dwarf tongue is “Giant Cutter”. Unfortunately, this axe and sword duo did not bring much luck to their previous owner. Hence, falling into the giant’s possession. I do hope in your hands they may bring you more luck than the previous owner.”

I held the sword in my hands and could feel the magic radiating outwards and coursing through me. I felt invigorated holding the weapon. It was perfectly balanced and despite its size, it was quite light. 

“I shall put it too good use.” I offered. 

I found poor Skyclaw’s body and recovered it. He deserved a hero’s burial. And I would make it so.

We let the villagers know where the frost giant was and as he was too big to move, they piled wood around the body and covered it was oil. Then we set the giants afire. The smoke rose high and burned hot for hours.

I offered the villagers the baseball size diamond and the coins. It was just compensation for the dead and wounded. And, to make the repairs to their homes and to summon provisions from Port Azure. Then men cheered me yet again.

Lykxnzzl looked at me with frustration. “We could have talked about this.”

I laughed. He laughed. The villagers laughed.