Happy Friday the 13th!
Hypnovember stops for nothing, and today's story has https://twitter.com/CorviDrone recovering an previously hidden treasure that might have been better off left alone.

13. Artefact

Kalleck coughed up another lungful of the temple’s dust as he brushed some cobwebs aside. There was no telling how long this tomb had remained untouched for; but the crow pressed on with furious curiosity, flashlight out in front of him. The crypt had been unnervingly quiet for Kalleck’s stay thus far; not because he was particularly expecting company in an ancient, hidden temple, but there was barely a trace of an echo through its walls. Every noise he made came off muted, as if the crypt’s stone was soundproofed somehow. It was unsettling to say the least, but Kalleck had faced no real obstacles in making it this far and his determination was still strong. Rounding a corner, the crow looked up in awe as the narrow hallways opened up into a grand chamber before him. Carved pillars towered above him, and stone statues of jackal guards lined the wall imposingly. This was the first room in the temple that Kalleck had found with any light source of its own as a faint, radiant glow emanated from a pedestal in the centre of the chamber. Anticipation welled up in the bird’s eyes as his gaze locked with a golden object resting on the plinth; and with cautious steps he began to approach.

As Kalleck neared the pedestal, his hopes were slowly realised. Upon a layer of fabric lay a polished golden mask, giving off the divine glow that he had first seen upon entering the chamber. The artefact was perfectly unmarked save for two painted symbols where the eyes would be, that made the mask appear as if it were sleeping. He couldn’t be anymore sure; he had found the legendary mask of Somnos. Kalleck considered it strange how the artefact had been left in the open; it was possible that he was being invited into some kind of trap, but upon inspecting the area he found no sign of a pressure plate, tripwire or any mechanism that might trigger. He got a better look at the rest of the chamber too; the towering stone jackals that lined the room had their eyes shut as well, carved into a state of eternal slumber. Kalleck took a deep, calming breath before picking up the mask carefully. He took a moment of pause after removing the artefact; but there was no sign of any trap being set off. The avian let out a sigh of relief and begin inspecting his treasure more closely.

The mask was incredibly light, and sported a beak shaped protrusion at the front. It must have been some kind of coincidence; the mask looked like it was practically made to fit Kalleck’s face. The temptation to try it on was insurmountable; he was probably the first one to touch this artefact in hundreds of years. But that wasn’t all that tempted him. In the back of his mind he could hear an unspoken whisper, compelling him to satiate his desires. The voice beckoned him to try it, even for just a few moments. It was mere curiosity, but it promised him a reward so much greater. Kalleck had already begun moving the mask towards his face unthinkingly, and by the time he realised it he was far too convinced to stop himself. Gently slipping the protrusion over his beak, Kalleck found the mask fit as perfectly as he had imagined; it was comfortable like an old hat, if a little obstructive. He couldn’t see anything past the golden mask, and the fit was so perfect that it had left him smothered in total darkness.

But it was soothing. The lack of light embraced him like the hug of a lover; he felt happy and comfortable under that mask, and the ideas of removing it began to slip away. Even the metal of the artefact wasn’t cold against his feathers; it was pleasantly warm as if its radiant glow was the touch of the sun itself, and that heat was gradually melting his body into a lethargic puddle. Kalleck was beginning to feel slow, drowsy even. The world outside that mask seemed harsh by comparison to how he felt currently. It was like the mask was a warm blanket on a cool morning, and the longer he lay under it the less he wanted to remove it at all. Even if he wanted to, his weary body might fail to respond anymore; he just wanted to relax after his long expedition.

Suddenly Kalleck’s flashlight slipped from his lazy grasp, falling to the floor. He was expecting a clatter, but there wasn’t a single sound. In fact, there hadn’t been for a while. Kalleck only just noticed that the mask had submerged him in total silence along with the darkness. But it wasn’t a loud silence; he couldn’t hear his blood running or a ringing in his ears. It was just…quiet, peaceful. There was so little to focus on besides the incredible drowsiness he felt washing through his every muscle; and so little to think about beyond slumber. His other wing slipped from its hold on the mask, forgetting for a moment that it too could crash to the ground. Though it never did; the mask hung on Kalleck’s face just as snugly as he had fit it himself.

Somewhere in the back of the crow’s mind he promised himself he would investigate the fascinating magic; just… not right now. Kalleck slumped forwards against the plinth, just barely catching his own weight as he slid to the floor ungracefully, folding like crumpled paper. It was a relief either way though, taking the weight off of his feet. This was his reward for coming so far, for working so hard. That voiceless whisper formed in the back of his mind again, telling him to drift, to sleep. Those unheard words registered in his mind like the sweetest lullaby; there was nothing he could do to resist the seductive embrace of sleep. He yawned, but that too went unheard. Maybe he could give himself just… five minutes.