(Book 1 Complete!) Side Quest [Isekai / LitRPG]

Motes of questionable substances clouded the air as the corpse lifted itself from its grave.

Name: Wight of Silence
Type: Undead
Level: ??
Lore: One of the eight Kalashi brothers, cursed by their greed and betrayal. Imprisoned in a ceremonial chamber, their souls are bound to enchanted gifts that torment them with unfulfilled desires. The brethren yearn for power against one another, yet are forced to surrender it, a punishment reflecting their eternal discord.

The wight took its time clambering free, gray skin drawn taut over a bony frame. Its stretched leathery dermis cracked with every movement, each bent joint popping. Wiry lank hair descended from its crown save for a bald spot at its head where a gash marked the likely cause of this man's death.

It had not yet noticed him, so Logan crouched low and shuffled behind another now-empty altar—the one that had once held the Bounty of Ash.

As he rounded the corner, his shoulder brushed its stone base. To Logan's horror, it vibrated as its surface slid open, too.

A skeletal finger hooked over this second tomb's rim, scratching Logan's ear. The brief contact sent a wave of nausea through his gut. The cut burned like someone had pressed a branding iron to his ear, but he crouched lower and kept quiet, putting as much space between him and the crypt as possible.

Now fully emerged from his resting spot, the Wight of Silence scanned the room with colorless eyes. Logan, hidden behind a third tomb's corner that he had been careful not to touch, watched with held breath.

The second wight, Ash, rose. His head was completely void of hair and both his eyes were missing. Long, jagged fingernails glowed like embers as he snarled at the first wight. Open palm raised, he aimed it at Silence and spoke in a guttural dialect that sounded Germanic. Logan had studied German for only a single quarter way back in High School, though, so he couldn't be sure. Flaming soot burst from one brother to the other.

Silence growled and reacted with surprising speed for a dead guy with audible arthritis, holding an open hand along the bridge of his nose. The flaming soot diverted in a V around his face. Then, Silence opened his mouth in a soundless scream, creating a small concussive shockwave that rattled stones and blew dust.

Are they seriously just battling each other? Logan smiled at his luck. He could leave the traitorous siblings to their own devices.

At Silence's blast, though, the two graves on either side of Logan began rattling. Logan stifled his groan as the heavy slabs shifted.

One of the newest additions—the jawless Wight of Iron—rose from his stony bed and stared directly at Logan with yellowed eyes. Despite missing half a mouth, Iron screeched, pointing a finger that looked like swollen bamboo at Logan.

Logan searched frantically for an escape from this chamber now crowding with undead. The slain torch slug looked grayed out from this vantage point, but remained visible through the hole in the wall he had bashed open to enter this hellhole. He would have to pass every other wight to scramble through it, though.

To make matters worse, Iron reached into his grave and retrieved a greatsword longer than Logan's body. Even with half a jaw, Iron seemed to smile. The corpse swung the heavy blade at Logan with ease.

With no other protection, Logan readied one of his two remaining rocks as he jumped sideways. He landed with a splash in a puddle pooling at the base of the adjacent tomb, which was Rain's.

The water was oddly viscous in the most disgusting way, and Logan's landing raised a comically large sheet of thickened water. It reminded Logan of the stereotypical scene where a bus drives through a puddle and creates a mini tidal wave to drench someone standing too close to the curb.

Fortunately, Iron was the bystander, and Logan was the bus.

The watery wall struck the dead man's sallow cheek as Iron prepared another strike. But then Iron's face underwent rapid corrosion as rust spread over his molded skin.

Of course! Rain beats Iron!

Logan laughed and stamped his foot in the puddle again, sending another splash onto Iron's falling body. His laughter ceased when his foot got stuck in the gelatinous liquid.

Wincing with dread, Logan looked to see Rain staring at him. His bloated body was waterlogged, the skin practically drooping from his skull. Bog boy opened his mouth, drool pouring out as he garbled some horrifying incantation. The water at Logan's feet thrummed, but he couldn't free himself.

Think, Logan, think!

Meanwhile, Silence still fought Ash. Every time Silence lifted his hand, it snuffed out the glow of Ash's ember-filled blasts.

Is that like a Silence spell? If the wight was defusing Ash's attacks, could Logan draw his attention and make Silence do something similar against Rain? The lore said the brothers were all greedy and treacherous.

Because he hadn't thrown it at Iron, Logan still held his second-to-last rock, ready in hand. Just as he launched it at Silence, though, Rain's burbling chant finished and the water twisted at Logan's feet.

He slipped and fell. His flannel pajama pants quickly sopped up the gross liquid, sending a numbing chill through his entire lower body. Logan's rock went off course and instead hit Ash.

Ash turned, but Logan's fallen form wasn't in his line of sight. Instead, Ash fixated on Rain.

Oh good, please let Rain team up with Silence against Ash. Rain had to defeat Ash, right? If it was enough to distract Rain, that might allow Logan to free himself from the thickened floodwaters' clutch.

In an unexpected turn of events, though, it wasn't Rain that defeated Ash but the other way around. Ash turned his offenses away from Silence and belched a stream of soot at Rain. The embers flickered against Rain's body, stripping away at the bloated skin, which flew off in nasty shreds.

The onslaught of embers didn't stop there. After scouring Rain's flesh, they drifted down into the viscous liquid that held Logan prisoner. So dense was the soot, it sopped up the liquid like bread soaking up olive oil. It left Logan still stuck, but this time in a pool of mud-like silt.

Moisture pooled from Rain's pores to replenish the vanishing reservoir, but as it did, Rain's body sagged. Finally, the vanquished wight collapsed in a mushy pile next to the corroded rust-stained remnants of Iron.

Wow. I definitely expected that to go the other way around.

During the chaos, Logan hadn't noticed a handful of other tombs had opened. Across the way, a fluorescent corpse cackled. That had to be Radiance.

The fact there could be an undead with the power of Radiance contradicted pretty much everything Logan would expect in this setting. But Mister Sunshine trilled with delight, glaring at Rain's fallen body.

In what Logan could only describe as the special spite one vengeful brother might harbor against another, Radiance exhaled a beam of focused sunlight at Rain's already dead (undead? redead?) form. The suctioning power of wetness restricting Logan fell away as all traces of Rain's influence vanished. Logan scrambled out of the now dry bed of cold embers and made it to his feet.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Ash didn't pay Logan any attention and instead screeched at Radiance. A gray cloud of soot breath dampened the shiny one's brilliance.

Radiance, though, jumped with insane agility and landed behind Ash before Ash could even see where he had gone. Then Radiance fled.

In the temporary pause, with all the wights distracted by each other, Logan tried to figure out what the heck was going on.

Rain had beaten Iron, that much was clear. But both Ash and Radiance seemed able to beat Rain. Silence, meanwhile, was strong and impervious to Ash's attack, but Radiance seemed to be hurt by Ash.

Was this like a big game of complicated rock-paper-scissors? If so, each Kalashi brother had at least two weaknesses, which probably meant they also had two strengths. That fit with the lore about the brothers seeking power over one another.

If Logan was right, he could play his cards smart. All he had to do was figure out which wights were strong against one another, and aggravate them until they wrought their own demises.

Two wights were already down. Ash and Silence faced each other as they circled around an open tomb, like two gunslingers in a western movie.

He didn't see Radiance at the moment, but another wight had slipped his notice in the prior mayhem: Famine.

Famine rocked on his haunches, shoveling some of Iron's rusty remains into its mouth. It was disgusting.

I suppose Famine would have been strong against Iron if they had fought.

Taking a wild guess, Logan figured Feast might be a suitable matchup against Famine. Which one would beat the other, he didn't know.

Where was Feast, though? Logan scanned and found Feast's tomb. To his surprise, it, too, was open. But unlike the other freed wights prowling for their brethren's demise, Feast hunkered in place.

The plump corpse dangled with torso bent over its tomb, gorging itself with handfuls of rancid meat and spoiled fruit from a seemingly endless supply.

Logan hadn't forgotten his own hunger, but now he was especially grateful for declining Feast's bounty.

Logan ran in crouched spurts, ducking behind every tomb as he made his way toward Feast. Halfway there, though, Radiance landed with a plonk in front of him. Out of both desperation and shock, Logan hurled his last stone at the wight with a yelp.

It landed futilely at Radiance's feet.

Radiance clamped bony fingers against Logan's throat.

Logan couldn't breathe, the crushing grip not only stinging him, but cutting off his airflow. He beat his arms lamely against the undead's tough, dry skin, but it only stung him more, draining a health point each second.

But that wasn't the wight's real attack. Irises aglow, an even brighter light formed in the back of the wight's throat, and no way Logan was surviving that.

He considered stretching to grab the fallen stone and use it to attract Ash's attention, since that was the only known brother effective against Radiance. But Radiance lifted Logan off the ground.

Next to him was the last unopened tomb. Not knowing what else to do, Logan kicked his foot, and the tomb started rattling.

Radiance faltered as the air started to vibrate and hum. Suddenly, the gathering orb of brilliance in Radiance's open mouth appeared to ripple, as if Logan were looking at headlights through the fumes rising from an exhaust pipe. A melody from the opening tomb made the air itself shimmer.

Radiance's glow dimmed down as he and Logan both turned to see Symphony rise. The wight's jaw distended as its maw stretched at least ten inches, a haunting elegy emanating from his gullet. Logan used the distraction to wrap his hand around one of Radiance's loosened fingers.

The physical contact with Radiance shot another painful jolt through Logan's palm. He didn't let go, though, and bent the finger backwards at the knuckle until the joint snapped.

Pins and needles wracked Logan's entire limb as Radiance's finger broke off in his grip like a twig. Unable to hold it, he crammed it into his pocket.

Radiance hissed but turned his attention to Symphony, which was likely the greater of Radiance's foes. By the looks of it, Symphony was strong against Radiance.

The moment Radiance released him, Logan didn't look back. He dashed for Feast's tomb, not bothering to duck and hide. He needed to draw Feast into the fray; only two wights had died, and now all six others had woken from their troubled rest!

Without hesitation, Logan reached into the tub-like tomb and grabbed a fistful of food, which made Feast fixate on Logan. For the first time, Logan got a good look at the wight.

Curly hair and bright blue eyes made Feast the only Kalashi brother to look remotely lifelike. In fact, was he alive? He looked… friendly.

Every worry vanished from Logan's mind. Pleasant aromas filled his nostrils, and desire racked Logan's stomach as he looked at the luxurious food spread out before him.

As he drooled, his vision doubled and the food looked mushy and over-ripened, but then the sight stabilized. He held the brightest of bright red apples in one hand, and a warm dinner roll in his other. The fresh bread steamed, and a split in the center showed perfectly cubed meat skewers in a rich, brown sauce.

A gravelly voice said something in a strange dialect. An electric tingle buzzed within Logan's skull, and suddenly the words were coherent English.

"Welcome, my friend," said a soothing baritone voice. Feast took two steps nearer, smiling warmly. "Stay and eat."

Why was Logan's heart racing and breath coming in hitches? He was among friends! This jolly fellow, Feast, might as well be his uncle, so kindly was he. Logan pictured himself sitting down and exchanging funny stories with the man. He must have only imagined the raspy voice moments ago, because now the man's levity was infectious.

"Thank you," said Logan. His words drawled in a sluggish slur. "It looksh delishish…" Logan lifted one hand to his lips, mouth watering as the savory pastry tantalized his senses. Hunger had brought him to the feast. Hadn't it? Hunger was the wrong word. Was it… not hunger… but…

FAMINE! Get up, you idiot, and draw him to Famine!

Logan's trance broke just as Feast's grubby fingers brushed his face. With a cry, he jumped back, squelching the mushy apple in his hand. Feast looked at the ruined fruit and roared in fury.

"Sorry to eat and run, but gotta go." Logan raced back to where Famine glutted himself on the rusty residue of Iron's body. As Logan passed, he threw the moldering fruit down on Famine's meal. Feast, blind with rage, pursued, not stopping to notice Famine.

Famine, though, sniffed the air and his eyes rolled in hedonistic pleasure. Without missing a beat, just as Feast coursed by in pursuit of Logan, Famine's rust-stained grip sunk into Feast's fleshy folds.

Within seconds, Feast's golden hair dimmed to dull gray as his plump form shriveled, like a time-lapse of a grape turning into a raisin.

So, Famine was the stronger one. Given the way he equally indulged in both Iron's and Feast's remains, he suspected Famine was no longer useful to his brother-against-brother strategy.

Unfortunately, Radiance returned with a vengeance, having escaped from his grapple with Symphony. Logan could still feel the shocking tingle where the disembodied finger rested in his pjs.

Radiance howled and blasted a beam of light at Logan. Logan ducked just in time, and the flaring brilliance illuminated Famine's body, which then exploded into vitriolic shreds.

Radiance didn't even bother looking at his fallen brother. He locked his eyes on Logan.

Come on, I can't give up. Not now! Four wights are dead!

But Logan was trying to learn the rules of a game where everybody else was already an expert.

The surviving wights were Radiance, Symphony, Ash, and Silence. Logan couldn't remember if Ash beat Radiance or the other way around, but Symphony was definitely stronger than Radiance.

Where was Symphony? On the other side of the chamber, currently running from Silence… Which meant Silence was stronger than Symphony… And I chose Silence's bounty!

"Wait!" Logan shouted loud enough to make Radiance pause. "I bear Silence's mark. I can defeat Symphony for you." Logan squared his chest and stood tall. "I am the summoned champion."

Radiance paused and cocked his head as he squinted at Logan. Cognitive faculty still existed somewhere in the undead's mind. It had to for these brothers to continue harboring such hate for one another. Finally, Radiance stepped aside and allowed Logan to pass.

Logan wasted no time sidestepping the bioluminescent creep and raced to where Silence and Symphony fought.

He wasn't an idiot. He was a Level 0 noob with barely any skills, least of all any that would work against the risen dead. His newest skill, Meditate, wasn't useful in a combat scenario, either.

But he could distract Silence so Symphony could focus on Radiance.

"Sorry, buddy," Logan whispered to Radiance. "There's an element of bluffing in this game."

He rammed his shoulder into Silence's spine. He didn't know how to fight Silence, but he would figure that out after Symphony eliminated Radiance. After all, his strategy had worked well enough to kill four of the wights.

Make that five!

Symphony found Radiance and blasted the undead lightning bug into a billion brilliant motes.

Silence growled and clenched his fist, then turned to regard Logan.

Logan swallowed hard. "Dude, I chose your bounty. Come on, don't fight me."

When Logan opened his mouth again, though, he choked on his words. An invisible grip clamped his vocal cords, strangling him.

Silence merely smiled and then turned to face the two remaining wights: Symphony and Ash.

Then Logan realized his mistake.

This entire deathtrap opened with Silence stronger than Ash. And he just witnessed Silence's dominance over Symphony moments ago.

Logan had just positioned the odds squarely in Silence's favor.

And Silence knew it.

Invisible bonds clamped Logan's wrists and ankles together, causing him to fall to the cavern floor, right beside three corpses: Feast, Famine, and Iron. The overpowering stench of the decrepit bodies created a noxious fume that seeped into Logan's very pores.

He tried to throw up, but his stomach was empty.

With a sinister lack of showiness, Silence thrust his hands out. Instantly, Ash crumbled away into wind-strewn dust, and Symphony rattled until he shattered.

Then Silence fixed his gaze on Logan. An ethereal, haunting voice entered Logan's mind.

"You have stolen my bounty. Now, you must die."

Logan struggled futilely against his bonds as Silence approached with a slow, steady stride.