▁and ▁Ver onica ▁in ▁the ▁" Gr im hold ", ▁a ▁magic ▁prison ▁in ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁a ▁nest ing ▁doll . ▁Before ▁dying , ▁Mer lin ▁gives ▁B alth azar ▁a ▁drag on ▁figur ine ▁that ▁will ▁identify ▁the ▁Prime ▁Mer line an , ▁Mer lin ' s ▁desc endant ▁and ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁able ▁to ▁defeat ▁M org ana . ▁While ▁he ▁searches ▁for ▁his ▁desc endant ▁throughout ▁history , ▁B alth azar ▁impr isons ▁M org ani ans , ▁sor cer ers ▁who ▁try ▁to ▁release ▁M org ana , ▁including ▁Hor v ath , ▁into ▁success ive ▁layers ▁on ▁the ▁Gr im hold . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁ 1 0 - year - old ▁Dave ▁St ut ler ▁enc oun ters ▁B alth azar ▁in ▁his ▁Manh attan ▁ant ique ▁store , ▁after ▁st ray ing ▁from ▁his ▁school ▁field ▁trip . ▁When ▁B alth azar ▁gives ▁Dave ▁Mer lin ' s ▁drag on ▁figur ine , ▁the ▁statue ▁comes ▁to ▁life ▁and ▁wra ps ▁itself ▁around ▁the ▁boy ' s ▁finger ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁ring . ▁When ▁B alth azar ▁goes ▁to ▁retrieve ▁a ▁book ▁meant ▁to ▁teach ▁magic , ▁Dave ▁accident ally ▁opens ▁the ▁Gr im hold , ▁re le asing ▁the ▁imprison ed ▁Hor v ath . ▁While ▁batt ling ▁for ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁Gr im hold , ▁B alth azar ▁and ▁Hor v ath ▁are ▁imprison ed ▁in ▁an ▁ancient ▁Chinese ▁ur n ▁with ▁a