FADE IN

A cave. Keyana's grandmother is sitting on a blanket by a fire, knitting. There is a jug nearby, along with a basket of fruit and some bread on a plate.

Keyana walks in, followed by Xena, Gabrielle and Darion. Grandmother looks up.

KEYANA:
     Grandma, this is Xena and Gabrielle. And Darion. (to Xena and Gabrielle) My grandmother--Cassandra.

Cassandra sets down her knitting as a small smile appears on her face.

CASSANDRA:
     So my dream came true.

XENA:
     What's all this about?

CASSANDRA:
     Sit down. (gestures toward the stones on the floor of the cave.)

Xena remains standing expectantly, while Darion looks around in fascination at the stalactites hanging off the cave's ceiling.

CASSANDRA (sigh):
     I once knew a very good friend of yours.

CASSANDRA:
     Hercules tried to help me a long time ago--when I had a vision that I hoped to keep from coming true. My dreams told me he was coming then. A dream last night told me you were coming here. I'm hoping that maybe this time, things will be different.

Xena walks toward her and sits down on a rock; Gabrielle follows her example while Darion continues to explore the cave.

XENA:
     I'm listening.

DISSOLVE TO

Later. Xena, Gabrielle, Keyana and Cassandra are sitting around fire, eating. Darion is off wandering around, munching on an apple and examining the walls of the cave.

XENA:
     So what was the trouble this woman in your dream talked about?

CASSANDRA:
     She didn't say much, only that she needed my help. But, in the vision, I saw a great city crushed by waves, and a battle--underwater.

GABRIELLE:
     Underwater? How is that even possible?

Cassandra is about to speak when she has a coughing fit. A worried-looking Keyana pours some water from a jug into a cup and brings it to her grandmothers lips. Cassandra takes a few sips and her cough subsides.

CASSANDRA:
     Sorry. (clears her throat) Anyway, I don't know what the vision means or where this city is or if it is even real, but I have to do something. My visions have always come true before. (She looks at Xena and Gabrielle who are staring quietly at her, and sighs) You don't believe me. I understand how crazy this sounds--

DARION (turns around, his mouth half-full as he still munches on an apple):
     Lady, you wouldn't believe some of the crazy stuff we've seen.

GABRIELLE (chuckles):
     Darion is right. After everything Xena and I have seen in our time--there isn't much that can surprise us anymore.

XENA:
     Though an underwater battle takes the cake. (off Cassandra's anxious look) We believe you.

CASSANDRA:
     Thank you. (smiles faintly) Your friend Hercules was one of the few others who did.

XENA:
     How can we help?

CASSANDRA (sighs):
     I wish I knew. Keyana and I have searched the entire island for any clue to why the woman in my vision would have called us here. But we've had no luck. (discouraged) My vision could have already come to pass for all I know, and then I've failed her.

KEYANA (puts a hand on her grandmother's shoulder):
     Don't give up hope.

XENA:
     I'll see what I can do. Tell me about that dream again--and don't leave anything out.

CUT TO

A wide shot of Xena, Gabrielle, Darion, Keyana, and Cassandra (leaning on a cane) walking across the island, covered by lush and colorful vegetation. They are approaching the beach with white cliffs.

CUT TO

The beach; a small cove by the white cliffs. Darion, barefoot, comes racing toward the water and into the surf, where he runs around laughing and splashing.

DARION:
     Come on--the water's great!

Xena and Gabrielle come up to the water's edge; Keyana and Cassandra come up behind them.

GABRIELLE (calls out):
     Careful, Darion!

DARION (stares at something, fascinated):
     Hey, look!

GABRIELLE (slightly alarmed):
     What is it?

Darion points ahead. Pan to a bottlenose dolphin bobbing its head out of the water. It submerges before propelling itself into the air, doing a spectacular back flip and then landing back in the water with a giant splash.

DARION (laughs and claps):
     Wow--that was amazing!

KEYANA:
     There he is again.

XENA:
     The dolphin?

CASSANDRA:
     It's the same one, with a silver mark on the forehead. He's been around since we arrived--he even followed our boat on the way to the island.

KEYANA (smiles):
     He even helped me catch fish the other day. He's quite tame--like a pet. Look.

Hitching up her dress, Keyana walks into the water toward the dolphin. It swims closer, bobbing its head up and down and letting out soft squeaks and whistles. Keyana reaches out her hand and touches its nose as it chatters. Darion comes up, fascinated but a little scared, and gingerly reaches out to touch the dolphin's nose. He touches it, then snatches his hand away as the dolphin erupts in happy squeaks.

KEYANA:
     Don't be afraid. He's friendly.

Darion reaches out again to pet the dolphin. Xena cocks her head as she watches; then her eyes light up slightly, as if an idea has struck her.

XENA (to Cassandra):
     What did that woman say in your dream? Someone would show you the way?

CASSANDRA:
     Echo.

The dolphin immediately perks up and lets out a rhythmic sound of clicks and whistles. He moves away from Keyana and swims closer to the water's edge where Cassandra stands.

KEYANA (looks at Cassandra, surprised):
     What happened?

CASSANDRA:
     His name is Echo. He's the one who's supposed to show us the way. I thought the woman in the vision was talking about a person--but she meant the dolphin.

Cassandra walks toward the water's edge and wanders in, the hem of her dress getting soaked in the surf. Echo swims closer to her and she reaches out to pet his nose.

CASSANDRA:
     So you're Echo. (Echo squeaks and clicks as if to say yes) Are you here to show us something?

Echo chatters again, nodding, then swims away. We see him swimming and leaping as he makes his way around the white cliffs.

XENA:
     Come on. Let's find out where he's headed. (to Cassandra) You'd better wait here--you're in no shape to be climbing rocks.

CASSANDRA (sharply):
     I came here all this way to follow my vision. I'm not turning back now--or staying behind.

Echo jumps out of the water, bobs, flips and whistles, as if inviting the people to follow him.

XENA:
     All right--come on.

She and Gabrielle walks toward the cliffs; Darion runs along in the surf. Cassandra follows, leaning on her cane and supported by a worried Keyana.

A wide shot of the beach as they round the cliffs.

CUT TO

The base of the white cliffs. Echo leaps out of the water, then swims. Xena and the others come into view, walking slowly to give Cassandra a chance to catch up.

Echo swims into a semicircular opening in the rocks, then dives and vanishes from view.

KEYANA (after a pause):
     Where did he go?

XENA:
     Wherever it is--that must be our way.

She takes off her armors and drops it on the sand, along with her weapons.

XENA (continues):
     I'll be right back.

Xena walks out into the surf and then dives in, swimming toward the spot where Echo had been. She takes a deep breath and submerges under the water.

DISSOLVE TO

Gabrielle, Cassandra and Keyana are still standing on the beach. Darion is playing in the water. Keyana looks worried.

KEYANA:
     It's been nearly five minutes.

GABRIELLE (worried herself but trying not to show it):
     She'll be here, don't worry.

In a moment, Xena surfaces, gasping for breath. Gabrielle rushes toward her as she clambers out on the shore.

GABRIELLE:
     Are you all right?

XENA (catching her breath):
     Yeah. Echo led me to a cavern.

Gabrielle looks back at Cassandra.

CASSANDRA (no hesitation, determined):
     Show us the way.

KEYANA (grabs her grandmother's arm, worried):
     Grandma, you can't go down there. You're too...

CASSANDRA:
     No. I said I have to do this. That's why we're here. If that's the way to the underwater city I saw in my vision then I'm going down there.

XENA:
     This time, I'd better bring my sword.

CUT TO

Inside an underwater cavern. It is not filled entirely with water and it has a large air pocket. Echo is swimming around the large open cavern. White stalactites hang from the ceiling of the cavern. The cavern is filled with a mystical bluish light reflecting off the clear water, shimmering on the walls of the cavern like jewels. The interior sparkles with all shades of blue and green.

Xena surfaces with a gasp; she is still without armor, but with the sword strapped to her back and the chakram at her belt. Shortly after her Gabrielle surfaces with Darion at her side and then Keyana and Cassandra. Cassandra is out of breath more than the rest of them. They look around. Xena sees a stone ledge and climbs up onto it. Gabrielle and Darion follow her and climb onto the ledge. Keyana follows them and helps her grandmother up.

GABRIELLE (looking around, in awe):
     Amazing...

Echo chatters. The five of them look at the dolphin.

DARION:
     I think he's trying to tell us something.

Echo swims over to the far corner of the cavern. There is another ledge and a passageway that goes further back into the cavern. Darion looks curious and gets off the ledge, swimming to where Echo went.

GABRIELLE:
     Darion, wait.

DARION:
     It's okay.

Gabrielle steps into the water and begins to follow Darion. Darion climbs up onto the ledge. He looks down the passage into the darkness.

DARION (turning back to Gabrielle as she swims toward him, his eyes wide with excitement):
     There's--some kind of tunnel leading down, way down!

Gabrielle climbs up on the ledge.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle, Darion, Cassandra and Keyana are looking down a pitch-black passageway.

CASSANDRA:
     That's where we have to go. (determined) I'm ready.

DARION (nervous):
     But you can't even see anything down there! (Gabrielle puts a comforting hand on his shoulder and he looks sheepish) Look, I know this is going to be a really cool adventure and everything but--it' a little scary.

GABRIELLE:
     Everything's going to be all right. (to Cassandra) Hold on. If we're going down this tunnel, we'd better get some light.

XENA:
     Good thinking. I'll get out and bring us a torch.

GABRIELLE:
     I'll get a torch. (Off Xena's look) Oh, come on, Xena. You went down to investigate this cave before we all got here, I go back up for a light. (teasing) You don't have to be in charge of everything.

Xena gives her a mock glare.

DARION (to Cassandra and Keyana):
     Don't pay attention. They're always like this.

Xena shifts her mock glare to Darion.

DISSOLVE TO

The same group standing at the same tunnel entrance, except that this time Gabrielle is holding a torch.

KEYANA (looks worriedly at Cassandra):
     Are you sure--?

Cassandra gives her a silent look.

XENA:
     She's sure.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle, Darion, Cassandra, and Keyana making their way down the tunnel, Gabrielle holding the torch.

DISSOLVE TO

A round opening in a rock wall. Xena and Gabrielle peer out of the opening, Gabrielle holding the sputtering torch.

XENA (looks down):
     It's a very long drop. I can't see all the way to the bottom. (looks back at the others) Don't even think about it.

KEYANA (behind her):
     Then what are we going to do?

Xena looks around and suddenly sees something.

XENA:
     Look!

The camera pans to show a rope ladder going down.

GABRIELLE:
     Well, someone really thought this thing through.

Xena drops down the rope ladder and starts to climb down while Gabrielle holds the torch so as to light the way.

CUT TO

In the near-darkness, Xena jumps down from the bottom rungs on the ladder and lands on some surface that makes a small splash.

XENA (her voice echoing):
     Come on down--it's safe.

CUT TO

Cassandra climbing down the rope ladder very slowly, with Keyana ahead of her, holding her up. Gabrielle and Darion are looking on from the opening in the wall, Gabrielle still holding the torch which is burning rather faintly now.

DISSOLVE TO

Gabrielle and Darion climbing down.

DISSOLVE TO

The whole group at the bottom of the drop.

XENA (looks around):
     This way.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle, Darion, Cassandra and Keyana emerge from a passageway into a temple. It is quite luxurious, made of marble and decorated with many gems, dominated by a large blue statue of a crowned man holding a trident. Everything is beautifully decorated but looks somewhat deserted and a bit shabby.

DARION (looks around, fascinated):
     Wow--is this a temple?

GABRIELLE (looks around as well):
     Looks like a temple of--Poseidon.

KEYANA:
     Whoever built this put a lot of work into it.

XENA (runs her hand along a dusty surface, then touches a chipped empty vase):
     Sure doesn't look like they're putting much work into the maintenance.

GABRIELLE:
     Where are we?

XENA:
     Let's get out of here and find out.

Exterior shot of the temple. It is made out of large stones, decorated with gold and shells, the roof supported by columns on either side. The double doors are made out of thick dark wood; in each door there is a carving of a dolphin, each facing the other.

The doors fly open. Xena and Gabrielle come out onto the temple steps. Darion is at Gabrielle's side. Keyana and Cassandra follow.

A wide shot of he view they see. It's a bustling city with stern angular buildings of stone. The people walking around are clothed in blue and green.

DARION:
     Gabrielle, I don't think we're in Greece anymore.

Xena raises her head. Instead of the sky there is a large dome overhead, through which one can see the ocean. The water is a dark blue; one can see fish of all colors swimming and a pod of dolphins going by in the distance.

GABRIELLE:
     It looks like we're underwater…under some sort of...glass dome.

DARION:
     Wow. That's amazing!

XENA (looks at Cassandra):
     This must be the underwater city you saw in your vision.

CASSANDRA (looking around, seeing the jagged buildings just inside the archway):
     This place looks familiar...

They come down from the temple steps. The passerby give them curious looks. A tall, dignified-looking man approaches them.

MAN:
      You look like you're not from around here.

GABRIELLE:
     Where is here?

MAN:
      You don't know? Well, of course if you're from topside, you probably wouldn't have heard of this place. You're in Atlantis.

Xena and Gabrielle look at each other, surprised. Zoom in on Cassandra's face. She is speechless, her mouth gaping open as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE