Reyna's POV

Everybody was silent for a minute.

Then Chaos gasped.

"He's a genius." Chaos whispered, eyes wide.

"Wait, what?" Siren asked.

"Archangel! He's a genius! When he burned Order and she teleported away, his location was momentarily revealed to me!" Chaos exclaimed, eyes wild.

I was on my feet in a second.

"What the hell are we waiting for? Let's get him!" I exclaimed.

Chaos nodded.

"I can hold the portal open for only a moment. But I'll need the help of three of you to hold it open, while one of you goes through and brings Archangel back. I don't think he would be able to get through himself." Chaos added softly.

"I'll go through. I'll get him." I said instantly.

Shadow pursed his lips.

"Reyna, I don't think-"

I cut him off, temper flaring.

"I don't give a crap about what you think. I know that Nico is hurt. I know that I can lend him strength. I know that I am second in command, and I order you to stay and help Chaos hold the portal open while I retrieve Nico. Are we clear?" I asked coldly.

I didn't mean to snap at him, but emotionally, I was at the breaking point. I would apologize later.

Shadow merely nodded, and he, Siren, and Sparky took up places beside Chaos as they prepared to help him hold open a portal.

Chaos was obviously weak. Whatever Order was doing was obviously taking a toll on him. He seemed older, more weathered, and his form kept flickering, like a bad TV image.

But a swirling portal opened up, and I darted through without hesitation.

I burst through on the other side, leaping right over a half-conscious Nico.

If I hadn't been so emotionally messed up, I would have laughed at his expression.

Nico blinked a couple of times, then raised his uninjured hand and pinched his arm.

When that didn't work, he shook Hus head, as if to clear it.

"Oh Chaos. I'm hallucinating." Nico said with a horrified look.

"You're not hallucinating, Nico." I responded and stepped closer to him.

Nico laid his head back on the cool stone floor.

"Alright, hallucination. Go away so I can sleep. I'm tired." He muttered and closed his eyes.

"You idiot! Its me!" I scolded.

At this, his eyes shot open and he sat up painfully.

"My hallucination would be nicer. It really is you." Nico said, with a shocked look.

"Yes, it really is me. Now, I'm sorry, because this is going to hurt like heck, but we have to get you up. We have to get back through the portal." I said apologetically and bent down next to him.

I wrapped Nico's not-broken arm around my neck, and we stood.

Immediately his face drained of color. He was biting his lip so hard he broke the skin to avoid crying out, but a small hiss escaped as he put weight on his injured leg.

I prepared myself for the backlash and lent him strength, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect. We hobbled through the portal together.

______________________________________

We stumbled out of the portal in the room full of waiting people. The portal closed the minute we stepped through.

It was then that Nico passed out.

Suddenly he just went limp and his eyes slumped shut, and I was thankful for my increased strength. I took up his slack and picked him up as gently as I possibly could. His wings hung down limply and the tips of his primary feathers scraped the floor.

Sparky collapsed almost immediately. The strain of the portal was just too much. Siren stumbled, and Shadow caught him, though he was shaky on his feet too.

Chaos' form flickered.

"Can't stay– longer. Get Arch– dical help. So– ve to go." Chaos said and disappeared in a flash of black light.

"Get an infirmary bed prepared." Chiron ordered.

"No. He had his room to himself. He'd be more comfortable there, and as soon as I get the strength, I need to portal back to Planet Chaos and bring back our head doctor from the palace." I countered.

Instead of waiting, I turned and carried him to his room, the other Angels following me groggily.