A New World: Adventures in Ayr, #1

By R. Gregory

Life was simple at the orphanage. Cade and his younger brother Dee arrived under difficult circumstances. The caretakers brought in a puppy to cheer them up. A Saint Bernard named Bigsby. He too was an orphan, and together they forged a family.

Spending their days climbing trees and picking honeysuckles that grew along the fence-line, they had the best childhood that was possible. But in Cade's mind, something was missing.

From an early age, Cade prepared to leave the orphanage and find his purpose out there. Dee being a rambunctious kid, was up for the adventure. Cade had it all planned out.
 

But all of that was about to change with a simple walk into the forest.

Come Adventuring With Us!
Ayr is a magical place. Follow the adventures of Cade and Dee, two brothers that wander into the forest and wind up in a new world full of mystique and wonder. Along with their pet Saint Bernard, they journey through Ayr, searching for a way home.

Follow the adventures of Cade, Dee, and Bigsby as they fight the: carnivorous Gnomes of the forest, trash Goblins, the Crystal Spider, the Frozen Kingdom of Merah, and the Water Dragon.
 

What's Ayr?
Ayr is a magical world that is incredibly old and ancient, but also much more advanced than anything on Earth. It's a blend of Eternia, Middle Earth, the Land of Ooo, Zelda, the Neverending Story, Narnia, and some Blade Runner sprinkled in. There are monsters, heroes, villains, huge cities, vile cursed swamps, secrets, ruins, robots, dragons, goblins, assassains, and anything else imaginable, it is found in Ayr. Book one barely scratches the surface to the fantasy elements in Ayr.

Cade, Dee, and Bigsby's New Found Powers
At first they didn't notice it, but in time; Cade, Dee, and Bigsby are blessed with super strength, speed, and toughness. Plus, some unique powers that only they possess. First, Bigsby could talk and in time... Dee's prowess will grow as an elite fighter, and Cade is predisposed to learn the metaphysical realm of Ayr.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. Gregory
• Release date: Apr 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201195267

Book preview

Chapter One: In The Beginning

From the outside, the orphanage looked like a quaint Southern home. It was a two-story white brick house, with an old extended front porch. The orphanage was nestled down a very long sandy dirt road with a massive bamboo forest across on the other side. On their side of the road, there were farm fields, cows, horses, various tractors, and irrigation equipment that stretched well past the horizon. There were only two residents at this home. Two boys. Brothers, in fact, along with their pet Saint Bernard, Bigsby.

Bigsby was a massive dog. He loved the boys and watched them play every day, sometimes even joining in. Sometimes, he was a little too protective. Ask the postman, Bigsby had only recently given him access to their mailbox. He’d worked the mail-route for almost three years. Bigsby was gigantic, even by Saint Bernard’s standards. And though he looked intimidating, he loved all life big and small. In general though, he was a sweet natured dog and tried very hard not to hurt anyone or anything. The only thing that got him riled up were threats to the boys’ safety. He would defend them until the end.

The brothers mentioned above have lived at Sunnyvale Orphanage for a few years. Cade and Dee. They came to live in there under difficult circumstances. To cheer them up, they brought Bigsby in when he was just a puppy. The small, shy Saint Bernard was also an orphan. He bonded with the boys instantly.

Cade was fourteen years old and started to shed his boyish features, entering adolescence. He was a confident kid. He was smart, and scored high in his standardized school tests. His scores were among the highest in the country. When dealing with Dee and Bigsby, Cade was definitely the leader of their little pack. He always made sure his brother and Bigsby were behaving. Many potential parents have tried to adopt them both, but Cade didn’t think they were the right fit, so they stayed together where they knew they’d be happy.

Dee was, to put it plainly, a nut. He was the younger brother and ten years old. Their caretaker called him a firecracker doused in gasoline, and Dee was about as wild as they came. Although he had a fiery disposition, Dee also had an incredibly kind heart. He loved animals, sometimes even more than people. Dee and Bigsby were best buddies. They could be found sleeping under an old shady tree, eating together, listening to the music, or anything else they chose to do. They were almost always together. Bigsby slept in Dee’s bed at night and would cry when he couldn’t find him. They were life-long companions.

Together they sometimes fought and argued as all brothers did — usually over silly things like Dee’s recklessness or the strict rules that Cade would make up. But their love for each other was profound, and nothing could break their bond. They needed each other.

One spring afternoon, the sun was shining brightly. The air was crisp, and the wind blew through the trees. The chimes on the porch were rattling, making music as they collided. Bigsby was relaxing on the front porch and tilted his head with curiosity at the sound the chimes made. His startled focus shifted to the thunderous drumming from two boys barreling down wooden stairs. With a loud bang, the front porch door exploded open.

Dee mockingly said to Bigsby, Hey, buddy! What are you doing here, all alone, buddy? Dee said this as he put his forehead to Bigsby’s and grabbed his head with both hands, squishing the giant dog’s face. Annoyed, Bigsby grunted and popped up, shrugging Dee off of him.

Cade interrupted, c’mon Dee, leave him alone. I’ve got the gloves, grab the ball, Cade said directly.

Alright, alright! Keep your pants on, grumbled Dee. The orphanage had a huge front yard with a waist-high white fence that ran the perimeter of the property.

The boys liked playing catch in the front yard. They did it almost every day. There was not a lot to do in their rural town. They used to hit the ball too, but the caretaker had to take the bat away due to a broken window. It was their favorite thing to do together. The boys started playing catch, and as always, Bigsby sat under the shady tree and watched the baseball go from glove to glove, waiting. He was looking for the moment the ball would get loose, then he would pounce on it and run away from Cade and Dee until they scolded him and made him give it back. It was his little game. Little did he know how serendipitous the game would turn out to be, and how it would forever change them.

The boys talked about things as they played catch. They talked about their day, funny videos, funnier people around town, video games, superheroes, and the standard fare you’d expect from kids their age. They never really talked about their life before they stayed at the house as Cade was the only one who remembered that time. It was something he carried with him and helped to define who he was as a person. He was very mature for a boy his age.

Physically, Cade was slender and tall for his age. He had shaggy light brown hair, blue eyes, and was attractive in a traditional way. Although they lived in a hot-humid climate, Cade was fair-skinned and hardly ever tanned much. He was athletic but not overly interested in sports. His interests were archery, chess, video games, target practice with his rusty pellet gun, hiking, camping, or anything else to do with the outdoors. For the most part, he had a calm demeanor. Cade only lost it when Dee or Bigsby was involved. He could be intimidating. He suffered no fools and was quick to the point conversationally. His direct nature was in stark contrast to their Southern town’s laid back folks. Many times they had a hard time keeping up with how quickly he spoke.

Dee was a smaller kid but muscular and strong for his age. He had short dark hair, green eyes, freckles, and was always slightly tanned, but only a little more than Cade. Dee still had a baby face, with one of his front teeth