Disclaimer: I am in no way related to the Neopets company, I am only, like so many, just an obsessive fan.

The next couple of days passed quicky. Apparently, Garin didn't find it fit to loot any rich merchants along the way, giving the impression that he cared deeply for his sister. For that I was grateful. The sea didn't quite agree with my stomach, and I often found myself hurling overboard. I was almost estatic when I noticed the air getting chiller, and the occasional iceberg pockmarking the surface of the blue water. But...

"Well, I guess this is as far as we can go."

Garin was standing on the deck, surveying the area. We were looking out on a plane of evergreens. They were still alive, though not flourishing, as they had been in Neopia Central.

"The trees get thinner from here on out," Jacques explained. "The icebergs get larger, and more frequent, and we can't take a risk like that. There's a small settlement a few miles north, where you can make contacts."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Jacques. You've been a great help. You, and Garin, and the rest of the Pawkeet. I thank you."

"Much obliged, much obliged. However, we need to get going. We don't want to be sighted here."

"Wait, Armin... before you go, I need to show you something," Garin cut Jacques sermon short. He motioned for me to follow him into his room. It was a small, dark room that apparently served many purposes. In one corner was a desk with a map tacked onto it. In another, was a small wooden bed. Various other small desks and shelves littered the room, making me wonder how Garin would survive if the Pawkeet was sunken.

"Here..." Garin pulled out a drawer from the desk. He then rummaged at the bottom, and uncovered a small knob. This he turned, and sprung open, revealing a secret compartment. He reached inside of it and pulled two things out... a locket, and something encased in leather. He handed me the locket, somewhat reluntantly, then began, "Hannah gave me this when we were kids. Her words were, 'To the one who needs it most.' See, Mom passed this on to her when she died. She had said it had been enchanted by a Light Faerie some years ago. In the darkest of times, it will light your path, or something like that. Then our father died. We had no place to go, so we kinda ran off and did our own thing. I, became a pirate, but she preferred something more 'exiting'. What could be more exiting than this life, I do not know, but she was always kinda weird like that. Hated pirates, I'll tell you that." He paused. "It's painful to give it to you, it brings back so many memories. But... your needs are greater than mine." He placed it in my hand.

I turned it over. It was solid gold, yet it felt warm in my hand. I put it around my neck, and swore not to let anything happen to it. Garin moved over to the next item. He picked up the next item, and from it unsheathed a silver dagger.

"Trust me," he said, with an expression that was anything but humorous. "You'll need this."

- - - - - - - - - - -

I left the Pawkeet with a new sense of importance. Garin did expect me to succeed. That gave me courage.

The miles went quickly under my feet. By sundown, I had reached the village and rented a room in the local inn. Before settling down in my room, I ordered a cup of coffee and sat down, predicting how I was going to work out the next few days.

"Will that be all?" A Gelert (apparently the waiter) asked me.

"I'm fine," I answered. Within minutes, he was back with my coffee.

"Wait.. you're... no... you can't be Armin?"

I looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know my name?"

He pulled up a chair and sat. "My name is Cedric. I used to know Hannah. We both scrapped jobs here and there, picking up what we could. Our paths crossed a few times-"

"Still, how does everyone around here seem to know me?" I said quickly, looking around at the only two other occupants of the room, a Bruce and an Aisha who were chatting hurridly, and stopped when they saw me looking at them. I turned back to Cedric.

"Well... Hannah has been looking all over for you. She came in here about three years ago asking anyone if they had seen 'A white Bori with sky blue eyes that goes by the name of Armin'. Since you're the only one of the type that has passed by here in a while, we naturally assumed it was you. I would assume we remember because of the look of panic she had on her face. One wouldn't forget a look like that quickly."

I frowned. "You mean you have seen them-" I motioned to the Bruce and Aisha- "before?"

"They've been here for a few months... don't know what they want. Don't talk much, either." He paused, looking worried. "Hope they leave soon, I don't like the thought of strangers lurking..." He paused, obviously trying to change the subject. "Hold on, Armin... you haven't heard about what happened to Hannah?"

"Cedric... I don't know the full story. That's part of the reason I came here. I need to find her."

"Armin... Hannah went looking for you two months ago. Kanrik-" I cringed -"didn't like it. Didn't like it at all, but he and Hannah went searching the Ice Caves, thinking you might have gone back to your home, since the Bori have re-established their colony. You weren't there, so Kanrik dragged her back. Mind you, Kanrik isn't a very good boyfriend, I've heard they've been clashing-"

"So Hannah's all right?" I said, my heart skipping a beat.

"Er... well, she disappeared last week. Kanrik thinks she might have gone back to another remote area of the Ice Caves that he didn't want her exploring, but he couldn't bother with her."

I stared at him incredulously. "So she's been missing a week and he hasn't bothered to go look for her?"

"Nope, the bastard."

I stood up, eyes flashing. "Damn him... she could be dead by now... if only I'd gotten here sooner!" I turned to Cedric. "Could you help me find what supplies I'll need?"

"Sure, Armin," he grinned, "but I'm coming with you. I'm not missing out on an opportunity to boost my name like this."