Minotaur

Pierre’s attempt to blow up the powder kegs using the ‘Nidus clock’ as a timer results in a huge explosion, the force of which blasts the children forward in time to the present. Here they find the labyrinth and Rothgo – who is now close to death. Rothgo frees the children of their obligation to help him, but Helen, Phil and Terry ask for one more attempt to find the Nidas, even though they know that their failure will mean they will be trapped in the past forever. Summoning up his final reserves of energy, Rothgo sends the trio to the original labyrinth, back in ancient Crete. Here the children find the Nidus disguised as a bust of a Minotaur, a fearsome, bull-headed creature, but when Terry attempts to touch the object he discovers that it is protected by a powerful force. They are interrupted by the arrival of Theseus and his companion, Ariadne – none other than Belor in disguise; Theseus wants to slay the Minotaur, but Belor manages to persuade him to take the Nidus instead. Using his sword, Theseus removes the powerful object, causing a cave-in that traps the children. Terry, Phil and Helen are about to give up hope when they meet Rothgo’s past self, Daedelus, the creator of the maze; however, when they try to show Rothgo a vision of his future self as proof of his real identity, they are shocked to see Belor defeat their friend. Unless Phil, Terry and Helen can retrieve the Nidas, it seems that Belor has finally won…