The Ordeals of Nim

The Ordeals of Nim is the second book in the projected ten-book fantasy series called The Chronicles of Nim and Aria. Nim and Aria are teenagers who live in an isolated spiresfolk community called the Dawn Spires. Their home consists of a cluster of tall, rocky spires surrounded by forests and mountains. The survival and prosperity of the Dawn Spires Community depend solely on trade with other spiresfolk communities by means of hot-air balloons. Land-based trade through the surrounding forests is impossible as spiresfolk cannot survive in the forest environment. However, the supply of alfron trees needed to maintain the balloon control decks is fast running out and the spiresfolk are desperate to make peace with the forestfolk inhabiting the forests in the hope that they will transport essential food and resources through the forests. However, centuries of enmity and distrust need to be broken down, and the only spiresfolk that the forestfolk are prepared to trust are two teenagers-Nim and Aria. The Ordeals of Nim follows the adventures and dangers faced by Nim and Aria as they undertake a risk-filled journey on foot across mountains and through forests to try and persuade the forestfolk to view the spiresfolk as friends rather than enemies-a task that is placed in peril by the actions of the spirefolk themselves and which places Nim in particular danger from an enemy who stalks him throughout. In the end, the very survival of Nim and Aria comes to rely on the musical power of the Redrim Flute-a legendary instrument owned by Aria which is revered by the forestfolk and which has powers that Aria is only starting to appreciate. 6