Chapter 11: 28:00 (20 Hours Remaining)

A low moan attracted the attention of all in the library, as Dregan stirred.

"Ah, you're awake!" Dr. Tot said gratefully. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit with a life drain spell," was the reply. The Dunedi pushed himself into a sitting position. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Beatrix informed him. "Savander said your Selkynil pouch ran out of Jewels." Dregan felt for the mesh bag under the front of his tunic, but tipped his head in confusion.

"It feels full."

"We refilled it," Zentarou said from where he, Savander, and Vivi were jointly trying to use the orb. "We emptied your regular pouch into it, then I split what I had between us. It's been an hour, so the ones I put in your normal bag should be attuned to you." In near unison the three mages sagged back from the table, Savander dropping with a thump into the seat he'd been standing on.

"Wow - that's rough!" Vivi gasped. "AAnd there were three of us."

"Scrying isn't the easiest of magics," Kuja commented. "I never really liked it, myself." Dregan gave his head a shake to clear it, then peered around.

"I thought we were all on shifts."

"We gave up on the books," Garnet explained. "There's just nothing here on Demonwing Keep or anything like that."

"Well, I'm ready to try again." Dregan switched places with Savander, and began casting the spell. "Did you see anything?"

"Nope," Zentarou replied. "Not a thing except for Kuja's Fortress."

"Where's Orko?"

"He went to see someone called the Sorceress," Steiner replied. As if on cue, Orko returned in a white flash of light.

"Sorry, guys," he said in greeting. "She didn't have much luck, other than she sensed strong magic and hatred due west, but we already knew he's that way."

"We'll find him," Dregan vowed as the orb's image scanned over the Forgotten Continent.

"Maybe we can help," Mr. 288 offered. "You passed out because you ran out of energy, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, we'll focus out magic into you, so out energies will be used up first, and you can search longer. Continuously, if we do it correctly."

"You sure? I've not done much concert casting before."

"We have." The Black Mage's tone darkened briefly, before they clustered together. "We can't cast the actual spell, so it won't be as powerful as it could be, but hopefully it'll help." Vivi and his sons went to stand with them, and they started to channel their spell power into Dregan. Zentarou and Orko, then Savander, and lastly Kuja joined in, letting their powers flow into the Dunedi's spell.

They all knew time was running short.