Tells the story of the 14-year-old beggar boy, Krabat, who is lured to a mysterious mill by a series of dreams. He becomes an apprentice to the master of the watermill and joins the eleven other young journeymen who work there. Krabat soon discovers that the mill is actually a school of black magic and he is expected to learn much more than just a normal miller's trade. Krabat studies hard and becomes the master's star pupil, but when he falls for a local village girl the depth of the masters evil and the darker secrets of the mill begin to reveal themselves. One by one his fellow classmates perish from mysterious, unexplained accidents and Krabat realises he must use all of the dark magic skills he has learned to secure his escape.