The Maze The Deep

Replacing these panels was long overdue.

Standing down.

Gently now. There, that's all 100 of them.

This would be a lot easier if we had a certain extra pair of hands.

Those extra hands haven't left the bridge in days. Ant is...

Completely obsessed?

I was going to say persistent.

Ant, we missed you this morning.

-Uh-huh.

-Look, I know everyone has their own projects,

but I do expect us to do some things as a family.

Hmm.

Ant, are you listening to me?

Yeah, yeah, I'll clean it later.

What are you working on?

Huh? Oh, it's this symbol I found on the map.

It's weird. Good weird.

Really good weird even, but weird.

Plus it's all on its own, but what is it?

A table? A stool?

Curved buildings, in a row, maybe, if you squint?

That's it. You're a genius.

I am?

Don't you see? Buildings in the middle of the ocean.

It's a city.

That's incredible.

Better than that. After all this time, we finally found it.

It's got to be Lemuria.

My family are explorers,

we have been for generations.

While others look up to the stars,

we know there are an infinite number of things

that shine in the darkness below.

There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth.

My family are The Nektons and we explore the deep.

Whatever your symbol marks, Ant, we should see it any minute.

I wonder what the Lemurians look like.

Ant, there's no way there are actually people living down here.

I'm thinking they'll have webbed feet and gills.

And what, three eyes, orange skin?

Don't be ridiculous, Fontaine, they will be blue...

-for camouflage.

-Here we are.

Huh? But this can't be it.

Are you sure this is the spot?

The co-ordinates match.

If this is Lemuria, it's not what I pictured.

Maybe whatever was here is long gone.

Or maybe we just need to dig it up.

Hmm. No ruins.

No broken pottery.

Not even a "Back in five minutes" sign.

It doesn't make any sense.

There has got to be something, right, Jeffrey?

Jeffrey?

HE GASPS

Everyone, look at this.

Dolphins!

Look where they're swimming.

Are they carrying seaweed in their mouths?

The last one in is a rotten egg.

Ant!

Oh!

Well, if dolphins are heading in, I suppose it can't be too dangerous.

Sure, let's all head into the creepy mystery tunnel...

as usual.

Are you guys seeing this?

I don't think this is Lemuria.

-Not old enough?

-Quite the opposite.

It might be older.

Ant, where are you?

Up ahead. Middle corridor.

What are these orbs?

They look bioluminescent.

Wait. So they are alive?

Maybe. Fontaine, can you see...?

-Fontaine?

-Just catching up to Ant.

Where are you, Ant?

You said the middle corridor.

Don't tell me you're lost already, Fontaine.

Yeah, right. This better not be a prank,

Ant, like when you jump out of nowhere and try to scare me.

Like I'd ever do that.

Well, maybe I would.

I totally would. Where are you?

Ant, I want us to stay together.

Your mother and I are going to catch up to you, Ant.

Kaiko?

Will, where are you?

I was following you around that last corner,

but then you just sort of disappeared.

I'm right here, but...but...

Huh?

Uh... Ant? You didn't tell me there was a T-intersection.

What T-intersection?

Wait, guys, don't you see what's happening?

You're leading us to our doom?

No! This isn't just a tunnel.

It is some kind of maze.

Awesome.

Well, it might be awesome if we weren't separated

with limited oxygen.

OK, everyone stop right now,

then turn around and go back exactly the way you came.

But, Mum!

We can see two dolphins.

If we follow them, we might find out where they're...

Ant, don't make me ask twice.

Fine. Come on, Jeffrey.

What the...?

Ant.

Coming.

Anyone make it back to the entrance yet?

-Not me.

-Me neither.

Nope.

I think I might be lost, but... I mean, I'm back at the entrance.

I wasn't lost, right, Jeffrey?

-Right.

-Well, that's one down.

Everyone keep swimming and we should meet back -

but...I passed through here just a second ago.

Well, that's impossible.

SCRAPING

That can't be good. Huh?

Nektons, we have a problem.

-Dad.

-Will, what's going on?

What's that grinding sound?

I want everyone to stay exactly where they are.

This isn't just a maze.

It's a trap.

So the maze is able to shift position?

Shift positions.

What, like some kind of ancient Rubik's Cube?

But if the maze shifts, how do the dolphins know where they're going?

Ant's right, dolphins can only hold their breath

for six or seven minutes tops.

So it can't be blind luck that they're finding their way through.

But even if we try to follow them,

those dolphins swim way too fast for us.

True. Unless... Come on, Jeffrey,

-follow me.

-Ant, what are you doing?

-You will see.

-Going solo again, Ant?

You realise that's what got us into this mess?

Yes, I do, Fontaine, and that's why I'm the one

who's going to get us out.

All right, Mimic Knight, it's time to do what you were made for.

DOLPHIN SOUNDS

Is anyone else getting interference in their head set?

DOLPHIN SOUNDS

I hear it, too.

Guys, that's not interference.

That's my dolphin voice.

I'm following some right now in the Mimic Knight.

My Mimic Knight?

If you put a single scratch on...

Relax, Fontaine. I've used it before.

-When?

-When I was...

No, wait, that was just a dream.

That was a good dream though.

What's your plan anyway?

I'm trying to blend in with the dolphins, Fontaine.

They know the way through.

Oh! Hi, guys.

DOLPHINS CLICK

Could someone tell Ant to stop being so weird?

OK, dolphins, show the new guy the way. I mean...

HE MAKES DOLPHIN SOUNDS

Ant, if you put a scratch on my Knight...

Relax, Fontaine, I'm in total control.

BANGING SOUND

What was that scraping noise?

Nothing.

SHE GROWLS

So, anyone eat at any good seaweed places lately?

Fontaine, Keiko, let's try to get back together as a group.

I'm going to tap the walls at intervals like this.

Tell me if you hear it.

Did you guys hear that?

Was it the maze moving?

Maybe. Ant, how are you doing with your dolphins?

Whoa! Ha-ha-ha!

Speak to us, Ant.

I'm using the Mimic Knight to map a route. I know the maze shifts,

but if I can follow the dolphins through before the walls change

position again, maybe I can...

Ah!

Not again.

Aa-r-gh!

-Fontaine?

-I touched the wall for balance and it,

it's not really there.

Some of these walls aren't real.

What?

They're some kind of projections, like some ancient magic trick.

Are you saying the giant stone slab closing ahead of me isn't real?

No, I'm not!

Whoa... Well, that one was real.

Some walls move, some make noise, and some aren't really there at all.

I guess it's hard to tell anything down here for sure,

unless you're a dolphin. They must see something we don't.

If you want to see like a dolphin, Ant,

just switch on the Mimic Knight's echo locator.

Oh, of course.

The echo locator. Duh!

-What's an echo locator?

-Clench your left-hand twice.

Huh?

Wow!

It mimics the way dolphins see, using sound waves, just like sonar.

Cool.

Wow.

Guys, I think I found the centre of the maze!

What do you see?

Actually I can see one of you.

-Who?

-Not me.

-Not me either.

-Wait.

No, it's definitely you, Dad.

How far away am I?

Uh, seriously, Dad? You're, like, right in front of me.

What's with the weird hat?

Ant, maybe shut off sonar mode for a minute.

What is it Ant? What do you see?

It's... It's a...

It's a minotaur!

Say...again, Ant.

Did you say minotaur?

Minotaur.

Minotaur.

Quit playing around. There's no such thing.

Why don't you come here and tell him yourself, Fontaine?

Good mythological creature.

Nothing to see here.

Wait. Do you think I'm a dolphin?

I mean...

HE MAKES DOLPHIN SOUNDS

Right, the dolphins feed you.

Oh, here you go.

-MINOTAUR GRUNTS

-Well, it was nice meeting you.

Nice place you got here, but I've got to go.

MINOTAUR ROARS

Argh!

What? Why are you following me?

Ant, come in.

-What's going on?

-Sorry, Dad,

but I'm a bit busy putting distance between me and a Minotaur!

Well, Ant has officially lost it.

Fontaine, I know how this sounds, but... Argh!

Ant, what's going on? Ant?

Huh? It just wanted the seaweed.

GROWLING

Argh! No.

I'm sorry, I invaded your home, shark-man-bull!

SHE GROWLS

SHE LAUGHS

Nice to see you too, Ant.

Ant, Fontaine, you found each other?

-Yes.

-OK.

Don't leave each other's side.

Your mum is right, we should have all stuck together in the first place.

Since you two have the Knight, we'll stay put and wait for you.

But what about the Minotaur?!

Seriously, Ant?

He just swam down that passageway that...

..doesn't exist any more.

Ant, this maze is full of tricks.

Maybe it fooled you into seeing something that wasn't there.

You're pretty easily fooled.

It's real, I'm telling you!

There was a Minotaur!

Half bull, half shark, half man!

It had three halves?

I fed it some seaweed!

Let's just get out of here before your imagination gets us into

-any more trouble.

-GROANS

-What was that?

-That loud, ominous, bellowing moo?

Oh, probably just my imagination.

There. Is that...?

Oh, no.

Mum!

Kids.

Listen, that must be your father.

He sounds like he's close.

-Ow!

-Yep, he's close.

-Too close.

-Oops.

I'm sorry, Ant. Looks like I finally found

one of those fake walls.

It must be these orbs.

I think they mirror light and somehow project illusions.

But some remain solid.

Mum, did you hear the Minotaur?

I heard something.

If there is some kind of Minotaur down here,

it can't be a coincidence that it's living in a maze.

Yes, like the myth.

But wasn't that maze on land?

Yes, but myths get muddled over time.

In some versions, the Minotaur

was a gift from Poseidon, god of the sea.

And does that version of the story come with the way out of here?

Whoa! No, but he might know.

Grab on to the Mimic Knight.

Let's follow that dolphin.

Uh-oh.

What IS this place?

The Minotaur's dining room and that's his dinner.

Incredible.

You weren't kidding, Ant.

Do you have any idea of the significance of this discovery?

Bulls are herbivores, which would explain its appetite for seaweed.

Just because there's seaweed doesn't mean the Minotaur exists, Dad.

Quick, grab on to me again.

Uh-oh!

-It's the Minotaur!

-What?

It's a different colour from before.

MINOTAUR ROARS

Everyone, get behind me.

We are behind you.

It must be half chameleon, too.

Ha-ha.

MINOTAUR ROARS

Look out!

Whoa!

WILLIAM PANTS

Whoa!

I'm not after your food.

Well, that explains what caused those craters.

Which doorway do we take?

The dolphin is long gone.

We'll have to wait for another one.

Wait? Here?

That's crazy!

We have to find a way to keep it distracted, tire it out.

I'm open to all sorts of ideas.

I've got it! Ant, you handsome genius.

Don't worry, I've got this.

Huh?

Hey, you, over here.

Ah!

Whoa!

Why won't it chase me? It loves seaweed.

Because you look like a dolphin.

Try setting the Mimic Knight to default mode, genius.

Oh, right. Good idea, Fontaine.

Hey, Minotaur, feeling hungry?

That's it. You know you want it.

It's working, Ant.

Oh-h-h! A-a-a-h!

Quick, everyone get to safety and wait for a dolphin.

I'll keep the Minotaur distracted.

Come and get it, Man-Shark-Bull!

Oh, Minotaur! Over here.

I want seaweed,

I want dinner. Dolphin, dolphin, please deliver.

Who-a-h!

The maze is shifting again.

Does that mean...?

Yes! Right on time.

Everyone, grab on! Hold on tight.

I hope this dolphin isn't taking the scenic route.

Don't worry, Fontaine, I squeak his language!

Urgh!

It's behind us.

I think we might have offended it.

Look out!

THEY SCREAM

Now's our chance.

I can't lose the dolphin.

Where did the dolphin go?

It's got to be a fake.

You don't know that, Ant.

Ah! Urg!

Never mind. It's real.

-Nothing here.

-Maybe the dolphin was some kind of projection.

Projection? Wait a sec.

The dolphin's sonar isn't tricked by light -

that's how they see the right path every time.

Then which way is out?

Which wall is the projection?

It's not a wall.

It's the ceiling.

-Look out.

-Stay back.

I've got this.

Ant, what are you doing?

It won't hurt me as long as I'm in dolphin mode.

Let me know when you're safely out, then I'll leave.

I'll be right behind you. Go!

As soon as we're out, Ant, not a second longer.

Well, I'm a big fan of your legends.

Ant, we're out. It is a holographic ceiling exit.

Um... It's that noise again.

Get out of there!

See you later, Mr Minotaur.

Ow! What happened to the exit?

It's solid. That noise must have been it changing.

So it's a hologram and it moves?

The Mimic Knight is glitching!

Uh...

We're still friends, right?

Ah!

What's going on?

Ant, are you all right?

Oh, no.

-Ant, come in.

-No way.

The Minotaur didn't change colours -

there is two of them...

and they're both after me!

A-a-a-argh!

Ant, come in.

Ant, are you OK?

-Oh, no.

-Ant?

Ant?

Oh, hey, guys. I came out the main entrance.

-You made it?

-Thank goodness you're OK.

-Way to go.

-I saw another Minotaur -

that's six halves.

Three times two, get it?

So, who knows how many Minotaurs are living down there.

Or if the maze was designed to keep them in or us out.

Either way, it works.

Until today, we all thought the species was a myth.

I just can't believe I got the symbol for Lemuria so wrong.

At least you found out the symbol isn't curved buildings.

It's bull's horns.

So, if the Minotaur is real,

that must mean Poseidon was real, too!

That's a pretty big leap.

And centaurs must be real!

-Ant.

-And giants.

Mum, make him stop.

Maybe next time I say I've discovered a mythical creature,

Fontaine, you won't be so quick to doubt.

I doubt that.