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Taking the story to the next level

Teenage twins Rachel (Sophie McBride) and Theo (Tom Cameron) travel to Auckland to stay with relatives following the sudden death of their mother. Where there was once a psychic bond between them, now there is a rift as Theo, particularly, refuses to confront his grief. Rachel reaches out to him, but is rebuffed.

Staying with their Aunt Kay (Michaela Rooney) and Uncle Cliff (Matt Chamberlain) on Lake Pupuke, the twins are fascinated by the volcanic lake and the creepy old Wilberforce house around the shore. They visit Mt Eden, where Theo sees Mr Jones (Sam Neill), a strange old man from whose hands fire seems to glow. When it seems the twins are being watched – and that the Wilberforces can smell them – Theo resolves to investigate the Wilberforce house. Inside, he and Rachel find what can only be an alien environment. They overhear Mr Wilberforce talking about something stirring beneath the ground. He says he will kill the twins if they find "the fire-raiser". Rachel is alarmed and reaches out to Theo but, terrified of getting close to anyone since his mother's death, he pushes her away and sets out alone to find the fire-raiser – the man he saw on the summit of Mt Eden.

As Theo makes contact with Mr Jones they are observed by a Wilberforce on Mt Eden. Mr Wilberforce knows that the twins have made contact with Jones and attacks Rachel, alone in the house, by transforming and disguising himself as a policeman. When Jones discovers that Theo is a twin – and that his sister is alone – he hurries them back to the house, where they find Rachel injured. Using a healing fire, Jones heals Rachel and transports them to his own house. Here, he tells them the truth about the Wilberforces: they are in league with giant creatures imprisoned beneath Auckland's volcanoes - creatures that will soon wake and destroy all life on Earth. The only weapons that can destroy them are stones created by Mr Jones's people. They must be thrown into Rangitoto, but only by twins, joined by the psychic bond that Rachel and Theo once shared. As Theo holds his stone and is energised by its power, Rachel finds herself unable to hold her own.

When a neighbour alerts the police to the mysterious man in the company of two teens, the twins and Jones are taken to the police station. The twins are taken home, while Mr Jones is held for questioning. Theo plans to go after the Wilberforces later in the night but Rachel is woken first by what seems to be Mr Jones calling her. She is drawn to the Wilberforce house, where it is revealed that it is Wilberforce who is leading her. Just as Wilberforce is about to take Rachel, Theo appears and beats him back with the power of his glowing stone. Wilberforce chases them down into the network of tunnels below the lake, where they encounter a gargantua – one of the Wilberforces' gigantic creatures. With the Wilberforces closing in, Theo beats them back with a burst of fire from his stone. The twins make a narrow escape and are rescued by Mr Jones and their cousin Ricky (Leon Wadham).

Hiding out in the tunnels of North Head, Mr Jones reveals that Rachel is unable to hold her stone because Theo has lost faith in their bond – it is Theo who is the weak one. But Rachel fails in a lastditch attempt to reconnect with Theo, who believes he can destroy the Wilberforces alone. Meanwhile, Ricky steals Cliff's boat to transport the twins to Rangitoto, and must escape from the Wilberforces in order to get back to North Head with the boat. Arriving there, Ricky finds Theo waiting for him, and is convinced to take him to the mountain alone.

Rachel and Mr Jones pursue Theo, Mr Jones sacrificing himself to transport her to the top of the mountain. But Mr Wilberforce is waiting for her and Theo arrives to find Rachel near death. Realising that his worst fears have come to pass because of his own actions, Theo reaches out for Rachel, reestablishing their bond. Rachel is revived and the twins throw their stones, defeating the Wilberforces. Auckland's volcanoes light up with supernatural fire as the twins race back to the boat. They are reunited with Ricky and set off for home and as the skies above Rangitoto Island burn blood red.