The Red Phoenix

by Alex Carter

  “Real danger?” I reply. “She never came back from Columbia. She’s dead.” I say.

  “They must have found her” Lux continues as he shakes his head at the thought. “That would explain how the Hunter was able to track me here.”

  “The Hunter?” I say. The word sends an involuntary shiver down my spine. “What are you talking about?”

  “I will explain everything later, but right now our lives are all in real danger. We need to get off this island. I’ve got a boat moored at the harbour. We need to head there immediately.”

  “Why did you bring us to this stupid island if we are in danger here?” I ask.

  “I needed to meet you somewhere isolated where there was no chance of us being spotted” Lux replies. “The Hunters have been chasing me for some time and we needed to be somewhere remote in case he caught up with us. I don’t think he is on this island yet so we should have time to get to the mainland. Once there we can make our way to Ben Nevis.”

  “Ben Nevis?” I reply. “I think we’ve had enough climbing for one day.”

  “We have no choice. We have to go to Ben Nevis as I have hidden something there that we need” Lux says.

  “What about the storm that’s coming in?” Arty asks.

  “We’ll need to take our chances” Lux replies. He stands up and starts running towards the path.

  I look at Arty who shrugs.

  “I have no idea what is going on, but it sounds like we need to get to Ben Nevis” she says as she hoists her backpack over her shoulder and jogs off after Lux.

  “Another boring day out with the grandparents” I say to myself as I shake my head in disbelief and run after the pair of them.

  Chapter 27

  Another storm sweeps in as Lux, Arty and I make our way back towards Big Harbour. It is raining heavily however this makes very little difference as I am still soaking from the episode in the cave. I simply can’t get any wetter. What does make it more unpleasant is the ice-cold wind which is blowing hard in our faces and making it hard to keep my eyes open.

  ‘The joys of a Scottish summer’ I think to myself as we jog along the island’s only path.

  Arty still looks in shock and I can almost see a thought bubble above her head as she tries to make sense of all the recent revelations.

  After what seems like an age Big Harbour comes into view and I see a small speedboat being tossed around by the swell of the sea. It’s now dark and the sea and the sky are both jet black. The combination of the storm, the dark and the angry sea is frightening.

  “The Lighthouse appears to be out of action” I say, more as a question than a statement as I notice that no light is emanating from it.

  “I disabled it before I rescued you” Lux replies nonchalantly without looking back towards the lighthouse.

  “You disabled it? Why did you do that? Wouldn’t it be useful to be able to see where we are going when we are on the water?”

  “We need to get away from here without being seen so it made sense to remove the only form of illumination.”

  Before I have time to say anything further a huge red flash illuminates the entire sky.

  Lux stops for a moment and stares at the bright red sky above us.

  “We really do need to get out of here quickly” Lux says with great urgency. He sprints towards the speedboat. He jumps in without breaking stride and switches on the engine.

  Lux’s change of pace is contagious. Arty and I immediately break into a sprint and his lead by jumping onto the boat. Lux slams the throttle forward as soon as our feet touch the deck. Arty and I stagger backwards as the boat takes off across the water. The red flare is hanging above us and the sky is now a frightening crimson colour. The rain is coming down hard and the illumination from the flare makes it look like the sky is filled with droplets of blood. Lux pushes the boat as fast as it will go. We lurch from side to side as it crashes through the oncoming waves. The only lights I can see are in the distance behind us. We are heading away from them.

  “Are we heading back towards Skye?” I ask.

  “No. We’re heading to the mainland. I have a vehicle there” Lux replies without diverting his gaze from the wall of dark in front of the boat.

  “Arty’s car is parked in Portree. Wouldn’t it be quicker to go back to there, pick up her car and then drive over to the mainland to collect your car?

  “It might be quicker, but it definitely wouldn’t be safer to do that. If we head back to Skye, there is a high likelihood that the Hunter will intercept us. I can’t let that happen somewhere heavily populated as it would cause too many issues.”

  “What are you talking about?” I ask. “Who is this Hunter and why is he chasing you?”

  “It’s been sent to hunt me down and won’t stop until he’s done so” Lux replies.

  “It’s trying to hunt you down?” I repeat. The combination of the phrase, the eerie red light and the ongoing storm send more chills down my spine.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I have something it wants.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’ll explain everything later Angel. The key thing right now is that we get off this boat and into the car without being caught” Lux replies.

  I look across at Arty. She looks as scared and confused as I am.

  The light from the flare is starting to fade and the darkness of the night is gradually returning as we reach the mainland. We all jump off the boat as soon as the bow touches the small jetty. Lux ties up the boat and we sprint through the rain towards his car. Lux also has a Land Rover but this one is far more modern than the one Arty owns. The rear door lifts automatically as we approach. We throw our backpacks into the trunk without breaking stride. Arty jumps up into the front seat and I get into the back. Lux fires up the engine and hits the accelerator. The sense of silence and calm within the car is overwhelming after all the running and the relentless noise of the wind, waves, rain and engine on the boat. I look out of the window at the pitch-dark night and rerun the conversation we had on the boat about the Hunter. My thoughts are broken as the car bounces into a corner at high speed. I’m thrown sideways and my head bangs against the glass of the side window.

  “I see you took driving lessons at the Arty School of Motoring” I say sarcastically as I pull my face off the glass.

  “Sorry Angel” Lux replies as he gives me an apologetic smile in the rear-view mirror. “There is no way of knowing how close the Hunter is and it is vitally important that we get to Ben Nevis before it catches up with us.”

  “Why is this Hunter chasing you?”

  “To capture me and take something that I have.”

  “This all sounds a bit like James Bond to me. Are you a spy?”

  “Something like that” Lux replies as he continues driving like a rally driver. The car is skidding and sliding in the rain around every bend.

  “If this Hunter is so dangerous why did you drag me and Arty into all this?”

  “I will explain everything once we get to the mountain but first, I need to concentrate on keeping us all alive” Lux says as the car skids into another corner and the tyres let out an ear-splitting screech.

  I feel a knot of anxiety in my stomach as I look out of the window at the pitch-black sky.

  Chapter 28

  After a frantic drive we arrive at the foot of Ben Nevis. As soon as the car screeches to a halt, Lux jumps out and opens the boot. By the time Arty and I join him he has a coil of rope over his shoulder and is changing into his climbing boots.

  “I’ve brought a fresh pair for both of you as well as some dry socks” Lux says as he gestures towards two pairs of climbing boots and a pile of socks in the rear of the car. They all look brand new.

  I grab the boots and socks and sit sideways on the rear passenger seat to put them on. They fit perfectly. Arty does the same on the other side of the car. Once all three of us are booted up Lux passes out protective helmets and two pairs of waterproof mittens an
d we set off. The rain has eased down to a light drizzle, but the conditions remain grim. It is wet and a biting cold north wind hits us as we make our way towards the mountain.

  The base of the mountain is steep but walkable. As we march along Lux constantly checks behind us. After a short hike we arrive at a steep section of the mountain. The rain is now coming down even harder. I shield my eyes from it as I scan the rock face above us. The angle of the climb is around 45 degrees. Ordinarily this would be a relatively easy climb, but the heavy rain is causing sheets of water to cascade down the surface. The entire rock surface looks dangerously slippery.

  Lux takes three pairs of climbing gloves out of his backpack and hands one each to Arty and I. We both remove our mittens and put the gloves on. The gloves feel lovely and warm and I enjoy the sensation of something dry against my skin. Lux gives a reassuring nod to us before he starts to climb. Under these conditions the ascent looks daunting. I take a couple of deep breaths to calm myself as I watch Lux start make his way up. The surface is uneven and loose which means that he has to scramble up. Arty and I follow on behind. We quickly find our stride. Within a short space of time all three of us are making good progress, despite the poor conditions.

  Lux stops around halfway up the slope and waits for us to join him. The surrounding terrain is starting to become steeper and more difficult. He unravels the rope he has wrapped around his torso and hands one end of it to Arty. She clips it onto herself and then passes it to me. I do likewise.

  The real climb is about to begin.

  Lux and Arty are highly experienced climbers and even though I am much younger I am nervous that I won’t be able to keep up with them. I take a deep breath and rub my hands together. Water pours out of my gloves even though I only put them on recently. I am cold and wet, but this isn’t the time or place to start complaining. I watch the two of them start the climb and try to memorise their exact line so that I can follow them. After the problems I had at the Inaccessible Pinnacle I am totally focussed on ensuring that I don’t make any mistakes.

  Around an hour into the climb we reach a small plateau where Lux and Arty both stop. I join them and am glad of the rest. I had got into the zone whilst I was climbing and closed my mind to the elements. Now that we have stopped, I feel the impact of the biting wind and on my face. It is freezing. The ledge is around two thirds of the way up the mountain. As I take in the view below us, I realise that we are now quite high. Lux takes off his backpack and hands Arty and I a protein bar each. I take a large bite. The texture is chewy. I feel a rush of energy as the sugary taste fills my mouth. I can’t remember the last time I had something to eat. I catch Arty’s eye and smile as I can see she is enjoying the same sensation. Lux removes a small pair of binoculars from his pack and puts them up to his eyes. He undertakes a full sweep of the horizon before lowering the binoculars.

  “I can’t see any sign yet” he says.

  “Maybe you got it wrong and nobody is coming after us after all” I reply.

  Lux slowly shakes his head.

  “I wish that was true Angel, but I have no doubt that the Hunter is coming for me” Lux replies.

  “Can you please stop talking in riddles and let us know what it is that we are doing here” Arty says.

  “We are here to collect a crystal that forms part of the Albedo Prism” Lux says as he puts the binoculars away.

  “The what?” Arty and I say simultaneously as we look at each other in bewilderment.

  “So, is this whatever-you-just-called-it prism the reason we are being hunted?” I ask.

  Lux nods.

  “It is really valuable?” I continue.

  “It’s priceless Angel, but that isn’t the reason why he wants it” Lux says as he hands the smaller rope to me. “Put this in your pack; you’re going to need it later.”

  I pull off my backpack and stuff the rope inside.

  “How did you come to own this prism?” I ask.

  “I don’t own it; I am here to protect it” Lux replies.

  “Protect it? You make it sound like a small child” I reply.

  “I will explain everything later but right now our priority is to retrieve the crystal.

  Chapter 29

  The plateau we are on is situated on the side of a vertical rockface. I peer out over the edge. It’s a long, straight drop all the way to the bottom of the mountain.

  “The crystal is hidden underneath an overhang located around the other side of this rock face” Lux says as he gestures towards the far end of the plateau. “Angel, you will need to work your way across this cliff face, climb around the corner and then make your way down under the overhang.”

  “Me?” I ask.

  “Yes” Lux continues. “It is a very challenging climb that requires two people, one to complete the climb and the other to hold the rope and act as the anchor. Ordinarily I would complete the climb, but I will be too heavy for you two to hold if I fall.”

  “That’s convenient” I say sarcastically as I look down and imagine what it would be like to fall all the way to the bottom. The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

  “The safest option is for you to do the climb Angel” Lux says as he turns to me.

  “That climb?” I reply, pointing towards the vertical rockface.

  Lux nods.

  “Do we really need to get this crystal?” I ask, hoping that Lux may have a change of heart.

  “Retrieving this crystal is without doubt the most important thing that you have ever done in your life so far” Lux replies.

  “Right, quite important then” I reply.

  My heart is pounding and I can feel my palms starting to get sweaty. I cast another glance at the vertical rockface and the precipitous drop. Water is pouring down the rock and I can’t see any obvious hand or foot holds. Added to that the drop to ground level is massive and terrifying. I am cold, wet and scared but nod silently to confirm my agreement to Lux’s proposal.

  “Don’t worry Angel, I have completed this climb numerous times” Lux says with a reassuring smile.

  I try to smile back but my brain refuses to let my face show anything other than the sheer terror I am feeling.

  “OK, the best method is to turn both of your feet into the rock and edge your way out along that ledge” Lux says pointing to a very small lip of rock running from our platform to the far corner of the cliff face. The ledge is no wider than my thumb and is the only thing that will prevent me from plunging straight down off the side of the mountain.

  “You should also be able to find a few finger grips above your head which will enable you to stay tight to the rock face. The ledge will lead you out to the far edge of the cliff. When you get to the corner the climb will be blind. Getting around the corner will tricky as you will not be able to see around the corner. You will need to feel around the other side with your left hand for something to grip onto. Once you have your grip secured you will then need to swing your body around and land your feet on the ledge on the other side. Once you are safely around the corner you will be directly above the overhang. You then need to work your way down and lower yourself down onto the platform below.”

  I’m too sacred to speak so I nod to confirm that I understood all the instructions.

  “It does look like quite a challenging climb, Lux” Arty says.

  “It is challenging but Angel is a strong climber and will be fine. I will be holding the safety rope the whole time Angel so if you fall you will be in safe hands” Lux replies.

  Neither of their comments fill me with any great enthusiasm for the task ahead.

  “OK Angel, are you ready?” Lux asks as he takes up the other end of the rope that is tied around my waist. He ties the end securely to a section of the rock face behind us and wraps the rest of it around his hands and elbows.

  “Ready as I’m going to be” I reply as enthusiastically as possible.

  I take a deep breath and put my left foot onto the ledge. It feels even narrower than I imagine
d. I can only get a small amount of the instep of my left boot onto it. I reach up and find a crack that I manage to get three fingers into. I put the instep of my right boot on the ledge, alongside my left, and I am now standing like a penguin hugging the rock. I push my entire body as hard as possible against the rock face as I edge slowly away from the safety of the platform. My face touches the rock and it feels ice cold against my skin. As I edge slowly along the ledge the wind picks up and pushes me back a little. I stop dead as the thought of falling flashes through my brain. I cling tightly to the cliff face and breathe deeply and slowly as I try to put the thought of falling of my mind.

  I continue shuffling my way along the ledge towards the blind corner. I keep my face pressed firmly against the rock which means that I can’t see either my feet or my hands. I am now climbing by feel. I focus my mind on the contours of the cliff and the size and texture of the cracks in the rock. I make sure that every fissure is large enough for my fingers to go in and solid enough to hold my weight before I shift my position. I keep the inside edge of my boots firmly planted on the ledge beneath me and keep them pressed hard against the rockface. My progress is slow but sure and I make it to the corner without any drama.

  It is now time to climb blind around the corner. I am nervous about this part of the clime. The technique that Lux described sounded complicated and difficult.

  “You are doing brilliantly Angel” Lux shouts from the platform. “This part is a bit trickier, but you can definitely do it. You need to reach around the corner with your left hand and find that hold that I told you about.”

  “OK” I shout back.

  I remove my left hand from its hold and reach gingerly around the corner of the cliff. My centre of gravity shifts as I reach around the bend and I feel myself wobble. The corner is a sharp ninety degrees right angle and I can’t see around the other side. I’m now climbing blind and need to trust Lux’s instructions. As I reach around the corner, the force of the wind blows my arm back. It feels like the mountain is warning me off; telling me not to venture around to the other side. My fear of falling returns. I retract my hand and return it to the safety of the hold above me.