Charlie

Ehlin and Joris were sitting together under the tarpaulin when suddenly several sirens appeared on the surface of the water. Lucas and Molly stared at the sirens in shock. The two were talking about some strange mushrooms that Lucas had found, and that Molly thought were poisonous. But now they jumped up in shock. Fnips pulled Charlie's hair startled and then whizzed into the air.

When the sirens came out of the water, on human legs, Lucas looked nervously at Charlie. But Charlie only had eyes for Nanno, who ran restlessly towards him and fell into Charlie's arms.

"I didn't want that, Charlie. Please, don't be angry with me", he murmured, pressing his face to Charlie's neck. "Please! Forgive me!"

"What do you want me to forgive you?", asked Charlie, confused, stroking Nanno's soft hair. A siren with light purple hair gave him warning looks.

The group of sirens surrounded them. A few of them held peculiar spears in their hands. Ehlin stood protectively in front of Joris.

"What's the point of this?", asked the sylph angrily. "Why did you all come here? What do you want? Leave!"

The sirens paid little attention to Ehlin. Instead, two of them went past the sylph and unmercifully grabbed Joris. Other sirens captured Molly and Lucas. The siren with pale purple hair approached Charlie. The woman looked at Nanno sinister.

"Don't, Mom!" Nanno shook his head pleadingly and stood in front of Charlie.

Mom?  Charlie looked at Nanno's mother. They both had the same eye color. But there was no more similarity between them. "That's the human?", she asked her son. Nanno nodded.

"Will someone tell us what this is all about?", cried Molly angrily. She tried to get away, but the sirens were stronger.

Nanno's mother turned to her. "It has been decided that you pose a danger to us. But we present you with a choice. Put yourself to the test or die! A choice. We will not grant you more kindness. And that, as we have heard, is more than you humans allow other races."

"What?" Lucas also tried to free himself. "Dying? A test? A choice? What are you talking about? We are not a danger! That's crazy. We're just passing through!"

Snorting, a siren held his spear to his throat. "Choose or be silent!"

Molly cried out in shock. "Don't!"

"The human is telling the truth!", shouted Ehlin, trying to persuade the sirens to let go of Joris. "The magic of will-o’-the-wisps holds them here. That's all."

Fnips sat in the treetop, at a safe distance from the sirens. The little light scolded loudly. Charlie didn't understand the words, but they sounded like swear words and other kindnesses. Now, some fairies whizzed past the trees and shielded Charlie from Nanno's mother. They, too, scolded angrily. The siren snorted.

"The Council has decided! Don't interfere or we'll eat you too!", she hissed at the little creatures. They stuck out their tongues at her and pulled at her hair. Cursing, Nanno's mother beat them, but the fairies escaped her. Another siren, an old man, therefore took the word.

"How do you decide?", he asked.

"And what kind of test would that be?", asked Joris, annoyed. "You have to tell us a little more. Should we find a special shell? Eating a frog? That's silly! We have done nothing to all of you!"

The fairies loudly agreed with him and proceeded to throw fruit at the sirens, which other fairies brought with them. The will-O#-the-wisp cheered them on eagerly.

The old man, however, smiled at Joris unimpressed. A red berry hit him splashing on the head. As he wiped it away, blood-red juice stuck to his forehead. "Well, boy. It's about the phoenix test. The phoenix will test your hearts. If you have pure hearts, he leaves you alive. If you do not pass his judgment, he will burn you. An agonizing death. We would kill you quickly. And eat you after it."

"What?", cried Molly angrily. "You could also show us the way out of the forest! The result would be the same! We wouldn't be in the forest anymore!"

The old man grimaced. "Oh, yes? And then? Then you come back with more humans? With slave traders? We have heard about the crimes of humans. We won't let you endanger our green! But for the sake of our Nanno, we give you a chance to prove yourself. Therefore, we leave you the choice. Out of grace."

Charlie sighed desperately. "We are here because we don’t agree with slavery. We want to go to the steppe. It is the truth. I do the test. But I have a suggestion. No, a demand! If I pass the test, you let Molly and Lucas go. Joris too. The fairies will surely show them the way to the steppe, won't you?" He looked briefly at the fairies. They nodded in agreement. "They will not return with slave traders."

"You're really leaving? So fast? The test is dangerous!", Nanno whispered. "Would you stay? With me?"  Charlie squeezed his hand.

Nanno's mother had noticed this detail. Now, that the fairies left her alone, she turned back to Charlie and Nanno. "You want to stay, human?"

Charlie nodded. "If I pass the test, surely that wouldn't be a problem?", he asked Nanno's mother. "I love your son very much. I don't want to harm him. But I wish for your trust. If I have to do this test to gain it, gladly. Because I want to stay."

The siren wrinkled her nose, but then she nodded. Nanno smiled sheepishly.

"I'll do the test too!", shouted Joris. "If we pass, let Molly and Lucas leave this forest, please!" He looked at Ehlin. "I want to stay, too." The sylph chewed worriedly on their lower lip.

The old man frowned and turned to the other sirens. "Can we agree to this demand?" Most of the sirens nodded. Only a few shook their heads. He looked at Joris again. "We agree. You two take the test. If you pass, your friends may leave. If you both don't pass, we'll eat them."

Charlie looked nervously first at Nanno, and then at his brother.