740 A.D

19 year old Atara Di Vantorica was hovering two inches, cross-legged above the polished red oak floor. She wore her nightgown and over top of her gown was an ankle-length black trench coat. On her lap was the Incatus that was given to her by her Master. She made it a habit to read at least three pages of the thick textbook every night before she goes to bed and then again once she wakes. She was calmly flipping through pages of the book when a sudden explosion made her loses focus and she dropped to the ground; the book skidded away from her. Painfully Atara got up and went over to retrieve the book when another explosion shook her room and she dropped on all fours.

What the…?

She got up and went to her window to see a whole legion of foot soldiers running into the castle only to be blown to pieces by a fiery attack. Atara grabbed the Incantus and headed for her door when it flung open and before her stood her Master Merlin.

"What is going on?" Atara asked looking bewildered.

"We must get you to safety."

Atara was Merlin's youngest apprentice and he knew the power she could wield was beyond imagination. He had discovered the gifted child in the streets near a marketplace begging for food. He had fake dropped the ring in front of the girl to see what would happen. Merlin had watched as the ring adjusted itself perfectly around her finger. After that, Merlin knew that the girl's life had changed forever. Merlin had shown her how to wield her power for the good and was amazed at the quick pace she learnt at. But now she was almost too powerful for her own good.

Merlin grabbed Atara's hand and led her quickly down the hallway and up into the attic, which was the highest peak in the castle.

"What is going on?" Atara cried.

"Morgana," the name flew out of Merlin's mouth as if he were spitting out venom.

Atara was about to ask something when another explosion erupted on the eastside of the castle.

"I must go and help," Merlin said.

"I want to come too!"

"No."

Atara stopped and frowned, "I can help."

"It is much too dangerous."

Atara watched as Merlin left and even heard a soft click and realized that Merlin had locked her in! She frowned and listened until she was sure Merlin had left the corridor before easily unlocking the door herself. She quickly scanned the hallway and then raced in the same direction her Master went in. Atara knew she had the power to help and she wanted to prove it.

In a not so far distance, two horses galloped at top speed towards the castle. One a woman the other a man both apprentices to Merlin. They urged their horses onward until they came to the fire burned ground in front of the castle.

The man was the first to get off; his name was Balthazar Blake sorcerer to the 775 degree. The woman was Veronica and too equally powerful. Both had sensed something wrong when they were walking about in town and the telepathic message from Merlin affirmed their worst fears.

Inside they searched for Merlin who was in a duel with a sorceress named Morgana. They rushed over to help when both were thrown back against the wall with sudden force. They looked up to see their former friend Horvath. Veronica looked on in shock but Balthazar charged at once and became entangled in a one-on-one with Horvath.

Atara could hear the clashes of battle below her and she felt the stairs give a dangerous jolt as plasma bolt was fired but missed the target. Atara placed the Incantus down and raced down the stairs and saw two battles broken out. Morgana against Merlin, Veronica and Balthazar against Horvath. No one seemed to take notice of the girl standing before them all they were all to consumed in battle with each other. Atara watched as Morgana release a full blast of energy that was sent straight towards Merlin when Atara cried out, "No!"

She knew that was stupid because know everyone knew that she was there. Horvath sent a column of flames towards her but she sent a column of water back, extinguishing the flames immediately. She put up a barrier around her Master just as the energy blast was ready to hit him, but instead slammed into the barrier and destroyed it instead. Morgana looked up at the girl in fury and sent her flying into the wall with one swift movement of her hand. Atara felt her bones crack as her body connected with the wall then slide down and landed with a painful thump. Merlin raised his hand and a shockwave went through the room and everything went still. Atara looked in amazement at the people frozen before her then at Merlin who stopped time.

"What are you doing here?" he asked clearly angry.

Atara felt hurt, "I wanted to help."

Merlin quickly rushed over to her and helped her up.

"Quickly up the stairs."

"But…"

Merlin wouldn't listen to her and literally dragged the girl up the steps and into a room.

"Stay," he commanded.

He was ready to leave when the sounds of battle erupted on the floor below them and they could hear Morgana scream, as she wouldn't find her opponent anywhere. Merlin grabbed the girl's hand and rushed her out the door and up another couple flight of steps and then into the room that was full of coffins.

"Where are we?" Atara asked.

Merlin ignored her and opened a closet and summoned Atara over. Atara obediently walked over and gasped. In front of her was a large sarcophagus. It was made entirely out of a silver metal with Celtic like designs painted onto the sarcophagus with black making the whole thing look eerie all together. The girl looked at her Master and shook her head in horror.

"No way!" Atara said in shocked whisper.

"We have no choice," Merlin said sadly.

"That's a sarcophagus!"

Atara looked at the thing and shook her head. This was all to crazy, she can't hide in a sarcophagus! She wondered why she had to hide anyway, what did the people down there want with her?

"Hurry," Merlin begged, "Please I promise I'll let you out once I can get rid of Morgana and Horvath."

Atara knew that Merlin was telling the truth but the thought of lying in the sarcophagus dead-like still freaked her out. In the end she gave in and laid in the fancy coffin. Merlin smiled, "Thank you."

Atara didn't feel thanked at all but she merely nodded.

"I promise I'll be back. Trust me?"

Atara nodded how couldn't she trust her Master, "Yeah, I trust you."

Atara watched as Merlin closed the sarcophagus's lid and her world went dark for who knows how long.

Once making sure that Atara couldn't get out, Merlin placed his hands onto the lid and muttered a few ancient words then stepped back. A red light flashed from the lid and then died away slowly giving Merlin more confidence. His energy was drained but he knew know that Atara was surely safe.

"There," he said looking at the sarcophagus, "Know only I can open it."

He went back down the steps and continued to battle Morgana who released her full fury. Merlin couldn't see Horvath anywhere and his two apprentices, Balthazar and Veronica, who must have gone after him.

"This is where the great Merlin dies!" Morgana hissed.

Merlin was ready to attack when Morgana pulled out a wicked dagger and stabbed the great sorcerer through the chest. Merlin felt his life slip and his energy drain fast as Morgana pulled the dagger out and sneered.

"You were always weak."

She turned to see Veronica and Balthazar standing in the doorway. Balthazar's sword was out and ready but he looked at Merlin's dead body and looked in horror. Horvath enters the other doorway and Balthazar immediately charged Horvath out of anger and rage. Within seconds both are once again entangled in a fight. Morgana raises her hand for a killing strike to Balthazar when Veronica throws her against the wall and mutters words while pressing her forefinger to Morgana's forehead then hers. She did this a couple times while muttering the same words over again and then breathed in deeply. Morgana tried to fight off the spell but she felt her soul slip through her body and into Veronica's. Balthazar looked in horror once the deed was done and rushed over to Veronica's side while Horvath made a quick escape.

"Veronica," Balthazar whispered.

Veronica didn't respond for a while but when she did she help up slick black thing that looked much like a nestling doll. Balthazar knew what it was and he shook his head.

"No."

"Do it," Veronica said.

All of a sudden Veronica gave a sharp twist as if she was being electrocuted from the inside.

"Do it!"

Balthazar opened the Grimhold and closed his eyes as he could sense Veronica being sucked into the prison along with Morgana inside her. Once it was all done Balthazar tucked the doll in a deep pocket of his coat then turned his attention to Merlin.

"Take this," Merlin whispered.

Balthazar felt a cool object being slipped into his hand and he looked down to see a dragon ring. Merlin's dragon ring.

"Find the Prime Merlinian," the man said.

"I will," Balthazar reassured.

Merlin suddenly remembered Atara stuck in the sarcophagus and that he can only open it. Merlin tried to move but his body wouldn't let him as he felt his life slip from him quickly.

"A…At…"

Balthazar tried to make out what his Master was saying but it was too late. Merlin was dead. Balthazar balled his hand into a fist around the ring and then got up and left.

Upstairs on the fourth floor and on the second door on the left was a coffin room. Inside the coffin room was a girl stuck inside a sarcophagus waiting for her Master, who would never return, to release her.