The Mark Of the Nether (A Minecraft fanfiction)

Leaving gifts

Piper's POV:

"Dad? You wanted to see us?" Merlin poked his head through the huge spruce doors. With no answer he stepped inside and when Griffin didn't protest he gestured for us to follow.

"What did you need to give us?" Echo asked him. Griffin had his back to us, he was doing something on one of his tables.

"Ah, yes. Right here." He turned and walked over to some shelves next to the door. The potion racks. I didn't know what he was doing until I noticed the higher shelves didn't have any potions on them, instead were other random pieces of junk.

At least, it looked like junk.

Griffin pulled out a gold box, the fancy kind that would usually have jewelry in it. He placed in on a table in front of him, then got another, and another, until eventually he placed eight boxes in front of us. Most were the same size but some were bigger, or deeper.

"This is all for us?" Nixie asked, eye wide.

"Echo," He looked at her, pushing one box forward. Echo hesitantly stepped closer, debating on whether she should open it or not. Knowing her, she probably thought it was a test. "Yes, this is for you," She reached for it slowly before quickly pulling it to her chest. Unlatching it, she lifted the lid and stared.

"Awesome.." Echo grinned, holding up a brass key. The back of it had it looped around so it made a bunch of arches, then under that was a rectangular part which had a lock carved in it. But the strangest part was the key itself, its shape was so weird. Unlike any other kind I had seen before. 

"With all due respect," Quinn pushed up her glasses, a sure sign she was about to mention something important. "What does it do?"

"It's a key." Ace deadpanned.

"What does it open, then?" She rolled her eyes.

"I have no doubt you will figure that out in your own." Griffin moved on. "Now for Miss Savannah."

Sav paused and stared at him. It was an odd leap between the two. I also noticed how he called the residents- apart from Merl, of course -by their first names, while he called the rest of us 'Miss' or 'Mr' in Remeer's case.

In Sav's box was a sleek black iron whistle, attached to a black necklace cord. She studied it thoughtfully before slipping it around her neck. Without a word, she stepped back.

It went on like this for a few minutes. Quinn received an old, silver compass. Remeer got a jade shield with patterns engraved in it and Ace was given some brown leather gloves with built-in brass knuckles. Nixie muttered an 'Epic' when she pulled out a pair of slightly worn out aviator goggles and Micha grinned at a glass prism she had got. She immediately held it up to the light to make a rainbow before running out to show Donnie.

One by one, all of them left. Thanking Griffin and smiling at their presents excitedly.

"Ooh, what do I get, Dad?" Merlin jumped up and down, him and I still being the only ones left in the room.

"You, Boy," Griffin started, his voice hard. "Get the benefit of the doubt that you won't screw this up. Now, go. Before I change my mind!" Merlin straightened and nodded, stumbling out of the room. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing, when I noticed something.

"There's still one box left." I narrowed my eyes at the unopened box. Griffin turned his back again and kept working. I took that as a sign to look inside.

Unlatching it, I peeked inside and stopped. It had dents and dips on the bottom of the box, which was lined with red velvet, suiting the golden exterior of the box elegantly.

"I wonder..." I muttered, trailing off. I pulled out the book and placed it in the rectangular gap.

It fit perfectly.

"Why is this empty?" I mumbled.

Griffin sighed, "It was supposed to be for you, Piper. But you found that Tome before I had a chance to." I froze.

He knows about the Tome? I mean, I knew he had seen the book, but I had never heard anyone call a book a Tome instead of a book. At least, not without significance.

'More than you know.'

I tried not jump at Ghastly surprising me in my head. I forgot even if I didn't mean him too, he could sometimes hear my normal thoughts.

'How much?'

'A lot.'

I didn't like the sound of that.

My finger trailed along the edges of the box.

'Ghastly, that dream I had.. The one with my.. Mother, did that actually happen?'

I waited for a reply but in turn got none, giving me all the confirmation I needed.

"Thank you." I took the book back.

"None needed, it was Jeb who convinced me-"

"I'm not talking about the gifts." I clarified. I could tell this sparked his attention as he stiffened before forcing himself to relax again. "I meant for everything."

Griffin kept quiet and I walked to the door, looking at him over my shoulder. Finally deciding what do to, I spoke quickly and abruptly, knowing it would either get me an answer, or a confused look.

"Heather was lucky to have a friend like you." I spoke softly and smiled.

Griffin immediately stiffened again, jumping a little. He quite literally whipped around to face me and his eyes were wide. In the process he knocked over some books and a glass bottle, causing it to shatter against the ground while other things fell. But he didn't seem to care or notice.

"What did you say?" I hid my own shock. Apart from the vision when he was with Heather, I had only heard him talk in that 'loud-without-shouting' voice, except when he was shouting. So hearing him say something so soft and quietly, his voice so small, it was weird, to say the least.

I gulped inaudibly, determined to say the next thing.

"Heather would be proud of you." And with that, I grinned and ran off down the corridor, ready to get to Bod and the others.

If only I had waited for a response. Then maybe I would've heard a gentle, smiling voice chuckle.

"I'm not the only one."