), ▁while ▁searching ▁for ▁the ▁person ▁who ▁will ▁eventually ▁inherit ▁Mer lin ' s ▁powers ▁(" The ▁Prime ▁Mer line an "). ▁This ▁turns ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁Dave ▁St ut ler ▁( J ay ▁Bar uch el ), ▁a ▁physics ▁student , ▁whom ▁B alth azar ▁takes ▁as ▁a ▁rel uct ant ▁prot ég é . ▁The ▁sor cer er ▁gives ▁his ▁unw illing ▁app rent ice ▁a ▁crash ▁course ▁in ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁science , ▁magic , ▁and ▁sor c ery , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁stop ▁Hor v ath ▁and ▁M org ana ▁le ▁F ay ▁( A lice ▁Kr ige ) ▁from ▁raising ▁the ▁sou ls ▁of ▁the ▁evil ▁dead ▁sor cer ers ▁(" M org ani ans ") ▁and ▁destroy ing ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁In ▁ 7 4 0 ▁AD , ▁in ▁England , ▁the ▁mighty ▁mag ician ▁Mer lin ▁has ▁three ▁app rent ices ; ▁B alth azar ▁Bla ke , ▁Ver onica ▁Gor lo isen ▁and ▁Maxim ▁Hor v ath . ▁Hor v ath ▁bet ray s ▁his ▁master ▁by ▁joining ▁forces ▁with ▁the ▁evil ▁sor cer ess ▁M org ana ▁le ▁F ay . ▁M org ana ▁mort ally ▁w ounds ▁Mer lin ▁before ▁Ver onica ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁rip ▁M org ana ' s ▁soul ▁from ▁her ▁body ▁and ▁absor bs ▁it ▁into ▁her ▁own . ▁As ▁M org ana ▁attempts ▁to ▁kill ▁Ver onica ▁by ▁possess ing ▁her ▁from ▁within , ▁B alth azar ▁stops ▁her ▁by ▁imprison ing ▁M org ana