It had been a long week, after his third week of excessive overtime he was taking a walk before getting ready for bed, as he turned a corner he noticed a new store, with his work schedule he was understandably oblivious to changes in is neighbor hood but he would have thought he would recognize this magic prop store before.
Looking at his watch he yawned before shrugging and walking in, it was late but decided it wouldn't matter if he went to sleep now or later he would still be tired tomorrow...at least this way he might find something interesting to look at.
As he walked in he saw they went hard on the wizard shop aesthetic it was a cozy shop, like an antique shop. There were wands, Crystal balls that randomly lit up, and a “cursed” item section. He chuckled as he looked around, getting to the back of the store he noticed some intricate books. His curiosity peaked he walked over to the books and began browsing; there were picture books that looked like introductions to different schools of magic as well as fantasy novels like “the art of necromancy: an artist look at the morbid nature of the undead” or “the trial of the Familiar: understanding your familiar to better your magical connection”
they were interesting but the books that really caught Ryan's eyes were the old tombs in a glass case with un known characters on the cover. Ryan may be a workaholic but one of the few passions he allowed himself to indulge when not working was code breaking, he really enjoyed sitting back and getting lost in deciphering a coded message, it was a hobby, but the thought of getting a large book and decoding it page by page sounded like a fun way to spend his lunch.
There were 3 books with slightly different markings on each. Not knowing what any of them ment he would be picking them at random, but they did look like they were from the same writter so he figured they with how close they were they might be part of the same collection. He looked around and saw a girl at the counter glancing over at him.
Ryan walked over before saying.
“Hello, I am interested in the books in that case over there. I didn't see a price is there a deal for all three?”
she perked up glancing back at the case before speaking “Hello Sir, they are not a set each spell book is separate, those should be $350 each. But are you sure you want to...”
“Please don't spoil the surprise, I am interested in cracking the code on them... if you know the code please don't tell me.” Ryan interrupted.
She sighed and said “fine, it probably won't hurt. Which one do you want?”
at $350 he couldn't get all three today but after he got the code down he could come back for the next.
“without telling me about them which would you saw is the most interesting volume to decode?”
with a hint of mirth in her eyes she said “ the left most one should be an interesting experience. But I want to be clean those books are Ma...”
“No, don't say anything about them, it might ruin the experience of breaking them.” he quickly pulls out his credit card.
“As you wish.”she said smiling ear to ear she took the card and ran it before walking over and opening the lock. And returning with the book. She slid it over the counter to Ryan before saying “one warning, don't read this alone, as you don't like spoilers that is all I will say.”
Ryan yawned again before grabbing it, thanking her and walking out.