Chapter 8: 15:00 (33 Hours Remaining)

A flash of white heralded Dregan's return, and by the sparkle in his eyes the first group recognized success.

"Well?" Orko asked. Dregan held up a silk-wrapped orb about six inches in diameter.

"Iridesca let me borrow this." He set it down and unwound the cloth, revealing a crystal orb. "It's a powerful scrying sphere. With it we can look at anywhere on Gaia."

"So we can search that way too!" Vivi cheered. Dregan sat down and set up the crystal, moving his hands over it as it became smoky inside. Slowly the image of the castle formed, as if viewed from the eastern side of the city.

#Rahmu said to look to the West,# Elfalon reminded helpfully. Dregan moved the image over the palace,

heading West. He passed over the Mist continent, then broke out over the ocean.

"What's West of here?" the Dunedi asked.

"The Lost Continent," answered Kuja softly. the library door opened, and the second shift entered.

"What's going on?" asked Eiko.

"Dregan borrowed a scrying sphere from Magess Iridesca," Orko explained excitedly. "He's looking for the Keep through it." The Black Mage smiled, but soon lost it when he saw Dregan frowning.

"What's wrong, Dregan?"

"It's hard to use," Dregan answered. "Really draining my magic. And I don't have anything to focus on."

"Focus on?"

"Scrying is easier it the caster is familiar with the place - which I'm not - or has something belonging to the person I'm trying to find." He dropped the spell after a moment. "Wow, that's hard. and usually I'm good at Knowledge spells." Steiner suddenly nodded to himself, as if he'd gotten an idea, and left. He returned a few minutes later, and held out something to Dregan.

Calan's sword.

"A knight's sword is his prized possession," he said, "especially the one with which he first learned his skills." Dregan look the sword and smiled.

"This should help greatly." He laid it across his lap, resting his left hand on the hilt, and peered back into the crystal, searching for the Keep and Cal.