The Favorite Pupil
"Oh, fuck!"
Horacio snapped out of the vision and gasped for air. "Holy fuck!" His eyes burned as if he had rinsed them in salt water. It was not the first time the mage had conjured up a corpse's dying moments. However, it had been a while since he last performed such high-level magic. Not only did it drain enormous amounts of magical power, but also exhausted him physically and spiritually.
Horacio's heart palpitated like a trapped animal. What he saw in the vision had disturbed him to the core. 'What kind of infernal being resides in the boy's body?' the mage wondered.
Horacio poked the dead body. "It's a relief you are dead, Rob," he said aloud. "Or whatever your true name was..."
"Is he dead?" a feeble voice asked.
The mage turned around to see Marian sitting up. Her near-fatal injuries had apparently recovered. Horacio undid the healing spell and brought her a health potion. "Mar, you shouldn't get up yet. Drink this potion first."