Midsummer, 700 A.D

"I am no one's servant."

The five words that echoed in the stone corridor were duly recorded in the Incantus. Morgana never knew this; she had burned hers. The book was something she could never understand with its ability to know what to record and what to ignore. Her lack of understanding had led to frustration and her declaration that all such books were worthless.

This was why she had to go into Merlin's own store of spells before she could find the Rising, something the Incantus laboriously explained. That wasn't something you could find outside of an Incanuts. Spells like that were only in the magical books, and it would have to be a special book at that. Withdrawing the knife she let Merlin fall to the floor.

Tossing the knife away she turned to Horvath.

"Good work," she said curtly, "Now get the spell."

Her latest recruit flung open the Incantus, its cover thumping on the table loudly. After flipping a few pages he found the appropriate spell. The Incantus was a good recorder, but the fact of the matter was that it didn't catch many undertones. It was a textbook, not a novel. That was why it didn't record that Horvath stared at the spell for a second, and then almost imperceptibly looked at Merlin's near-lifeless body. A few thoughts went through his mind before he ripped the page out.

The events that followed were recorded, but none of the dialogue was. There was no instruction to be gained from the words of former friends; the moral lesson of Horvath's betrayal had already been taught. Almost immediately the page flew out of his hand. Both he and Morgana looked up to the opposite side of the room.

Balthazar and Veronica stood there. The page containing the spell fell neatly into Balthazar's hands and he clutched it so hard that the parchment wrinkled. Horvath had very little time to notice this before Veronica threw a plasma bolt at him. Horvath ducked under the table to avoid it.

Rolling her eyes Morgana made a plasma bolt of her own. Balthazar noticed and pushed Veronica's head down. They moved behind a pillar just before the bolt shattered into the wall. Balthazar's hand was crushing Veronica's arm and she winced from the pain. It was well warranted though.

He let go unexpectedly and sent fire from his pillar. It branched forwards but Morgana had put a shield up. Balthazar swore and returned to his sheltered position.

"Love," whispered Veronica, "We can't beat her."

"Of course we can," he snapped back.

She swallowed. This would be hard. She'd seen Merlin's body too and the change that had come over Balthazar. Merlin had known that he was going to die soon, perhaps sensed it. That was why he had given Balthazar his dragon ring and told them of the Prime not so long ago. That didn't make his passing any easier.

Balthazar was near desperate to revenge him. Veronica was as well, but her own desperation not to lose anyone else made her see things realistically. They couldn't though; Morgana had beaten Merlin, and they'd only been able to hold her off when there were three of them. With Horvath's had betrayal they didn't have a chance.

"We have to get out of here," she murmured.

Fire blasted the pillar. She could feel it start to melt from the heat. He clenched his teeth. He really was too stubborn for his own good.

"You have the spell," she said, clasping his hand that held the piece of parchment, "They're not going to be able to do much without it. Now please!"

Balthazar swore under his breath. He grabbed her arm and they dashed from the pillar to the stairs. It was all Veronica could do to be carried along with the tide. Morgana flung a plasma bolt at them, joined by Horvath. Their combined shields managed to stay the attack, but Veronica could feel hers weakening. She briefly wondered if she had made the right choice to flee.

Another blast forced them to fling themselves behind another pillar. Some of the fire had caught Balthazar's arm and but been put out when he reached the floor. He winced from the pain and Veronica touched his face. She smiled softly, a promise to heal it later. Later would never come for her, but she was ignorant of that. All she knew then was that she had to get the two of them out.

She cleared her mind before putting her plan into action. Edging towards the wall she placed her hands on the stone wall. Her ring glowed and the stones started to shift, making a rough exit. It was small enough to escape notice, but still large enough for the two of them to leave through.

Veronica nodded at him, gesturing to the exit. He started to move forward, only to have the pillar blasted from behind him. Stone scattered everywhere and it was only their instincts that allowed them to put up shields. Combined with the strain put on them from combating Morgana's spells the shields gave out fairly early.

As soon as Veronica's faltered she felt a hand grip her throat. Her hands flailed, but the grip was iron.

"Where is it?" Morgana hissed.

She shut her eyes. In disgust Morgana threw her to the ground. Veronica kicked out with her leg, tripping Morgana. Making the best of her opportunity Veronica scrambled to her feet. Across the room she could see Balthazar in combat with Horvath. They seemed even, but she would have to intervene soon. They couldn't keep it up for long and Balthazar was getting the worst of it. They had been through too much that night to be at their full potential.

"Balthazar!" she yelled, turning her back on Morgana and starting forward.

Veronica had made many mistakes in her life, but going to intervene in Balthazar's fight proved to be the most fatal. Morgana was already looking furiously at her. A small black doll caught her eye. It was familiar to her from her own days as Merlin's apprentice. Only a sorcerer with a power level like Merlin's, or her own, would have the power to use it. Opening it again would require infinitely more power, but she wasn't bothered with such trifles. Grinning evilly she grabbed the Grimhold.

At the same time Veronica's call made Horvath's eyes flicker over to her, giving Balthazar the opening he needed to shove him away with his magic. Horvath sank into the opposite wall, but was already getting to his feet. The couple hadn't wasted any time however, already making their way to the exit Veronica had made. They were nearly there when there was a scrabbling sound.

What they had heard was Horvath getting back up. He reached for the Rising but Balthazar pulled back. The parchment ripped under the force and Horvath dropped his out of shock. While both of the sorcerers were startled, they hadn't thought that Incantus magic could rip, Veronica snatched Horvath's half from the ground.

Morgana hadn't noticed this, or perhaps thought that Horvath was the one with both halves. Whatever her reasoning she opened the Grimhold. Veronica had only time to take a step back before she started to feel a pull. Balthazar turned to her, just in time to see his lover sucked into the Grimhold.

Howling furiously Balthazar sent a plasma bolt. Teeth bared Morgana drew back and sent him flying into the wall. His head hit hard, but he kept his grip on the spell. His first instinct was to try to take Morgana on. However, he knew Veronica had been right. He knew he couldn't beat her, not with Horvath helping her. Gritting his teeth he blasted her away and dove through the exit that Veronica had made. Although both Horvath and Morgana would give chase, he would elude them that night.

Only when he had reached a place of safety in the castle of a Merlinian sorcerer did he vow to continue on. He would avenge his Master and rescue his lover. Balthazar would take back the Grimhold and make sure that the full Rising didn't fall into Morgana's hands. For all of this, he would need the Prime Merlinian. For those reasons he would search for the better part of thirteen hundred years.