"Do we have to keep walking?" Zen whined as he floated lazily behind Cao'Fahn, "We would've been there by now if you let me transform into a dragon."
"It's a beautiful day for a stroll," The old Rogo smiled as he tapped the butt of his staff onto the concrete, "Plus, you don't even have legs... so you're technically not walking."
"And you suck as a dragon." A tiny voice chirped. Cao'Fahn glanced to his left shoulder where Chen perched himself as a little black bird. "Last time master needed your help as a dragon, you changed into a giant bat-frog."
"Shut up Chen, it still worked!"
Cao'Fahn chuckled as he recalled being saved by the slimy tongue of a large, bat-winged toad. "You did well that time, Zen. You have nothing to be embarrassed about." Cao'Fahn said, reassuring his summon. Zen, the floating white spirit, stuck a tongue out at the little bird, who mockingly cawed back like a croaking frog. They continued along an overpass until the Coliseum came into view. Cao'Fahn stopped and set the wheat basket on the ground to get a breather, careful not to wake Upo from its slumber.
"Alright boys, from here on out I'll need you back in the spirit realm."
"Ah come on!" They both protested. "Just until we get there! Please!?"
"No!" Cao'Fahn barked. "We've been traveling dimensions for awhile now and I need my energy replenished. Why do you think I didn't let Lubo out?"
Chen shifted back into his regular childish form, contrasting from his brother's whitening hue to a more darker glow. "Because he's a war mongering demi-god that only talks about killing and honor and stuff." Chen answered, rubbing his forehead until two stubby horns popped out, completing the transformation.
Zen nodded to his brother. "Yeah, he's really annoying. I hate going back into the spirit realm when he's there. You should seriously have a master-to-summon talk with him about his messiah complex, Master."
"I'll think about it." Cao'Fahn extended his staff of Oka out to Chen and Zen. They groaned in contempt, reluctantly obeying the archmage. A flash of energies veined along the wooden staff, then glistened erratically, pulling in the spirit brothers until they disappeared into two tiny gems. Cao'Fahn grabbed each jewel in mid-air, then placed them both inside a pouch slung on his belt. Finally, some peace and quiet. The Rogo Archmage exhaled a sigh of relief as he hoisted the wheat basket onto his back and proceeded toward the Coliseum. It had taken many years to get to this point. Cao'Fahn felt ready, but doubt had begun to fester. While he felt confident in his abilities as a seasoned wizard, it was his peculiar band of odd summon creatures that worried him most. He only hoped that when the time came, they'd hold their end of the bargain, and do whatever he tells them to do.
Cao'Fahn had plucked each of them from various dimensional corners of the multiverse. The Spirit Brothers were the first summons he ever acquired, and boy were they a pain in the ass...
To Be Continued...
Next Post...The Spirit Brothers: Tale of the Two Jackasses