Utopia

"You just had your ass handed to you by a woman," Theo was doubled over with laughter at the sight of Stephen on his back.

"Don't worry newbie, I've been at this a lot longer than you have," Christiana assured him with a smile. Christiana had been chosen as one of his sparring partners. In another life he would have been ashamed about the fact that it had been a woman to best him. Considering who he was and where he was though, he took it with a grain of salt. She held out her arm and he clasped her wrist letting her help him stand up.

Something thrummed through him and he blinked looking around. "Someone's entered ze grounds illegally," Magnus explained, his French accent slipping out for a moment. "No doubt Raven will be taking care of it now."

"How is that possible?" Stephen asked furrowing his brow and looking around at Magnus, Theo, and Christiana.

"What's this I hear?" Cole asked coming up on the four students with a smile. The guardian angel was a tall black man who hailed from America's Civil War. "I do believe this be story time. Sit down and let me teach," he ordered. "There are three ways to enter this school. Through the gates, through the portal below, and through the paths of the dead. Now as you all know, only Necro Half-breeds can use the Paths. What Stephen probably doesn't know is that we have a Half-breed in attendance at the Academy. His name is Alex Gibson. Erin's special case or else I don't think Raven would let him live."

Stephen could understand Raven's misgivings. Half-Breeds had the tendency to be dangerous, most either going insane, turning evil, or doing both. Who could really blame Raven if he did kill a half-breed. Everyone was usually better off when such things did happen. One of the upper-level students came running up to Cole and whispered in his ear. The man sighed. "Well you four, come along. This might be a good lesson for you." The four of them exchanged looks. Something wasn't right. Cole began to explain as they walked. "As Greg just informed me, it appears that our intruder was actually our student, Alex Gibson, but there has been a slight complication. Alex wasn't alone he came. He came with a young witch." The four young angels stiffened and exchanged looks as they walked.

"What are you going to do with her?" Christiana asked softly.

"Raven wants to kill her. And since Erin can't get near him at the moment, I get the lucky job of trying to talk him out of it. This will be good for you all. Negotiations skills. How they do and don't work?" Cole said tossing them a forced smile.

Stephen exchanged a look with Magnus and the two of them dropped back a little. "I know that Cole mentioned the girl's a witch, but would Raven really kill her in cold blood?" he asked in a soft whisper.

"You see," Magnus's voice slipped back into his French accent even more. "Raven does not distinguish between zose who 'ave done 'arm and zose 'oo 'ave not. To 'im all half-breeds and witches and wizards are a threat and zerefore, all must die. 'E iz not a bad soul. 'E saw the Academy destroyed once and vowed zat it will never 'appen again." Magnus explained with a shrug. Stephen felt a sinking in his gut. He didn't want to see a witch die so soon after coming here, but it looked like he might not have a choice.