The Possessor

Chapter 4

VIDA

"Ladies and gentlemen, history itself is not merely a collection of the information from the past. But, it is more likely a treasure map that a modern traveler must obtain in order for him to go on a different quest along the journey to unearth the forgotten yet valuable treasure."

It's been days since I came across to the Core Four. I did not bother to go back to the library where Daisy Wyatt, the top one fire possessor, was waiting for me. Albeit Atlantis wants me to go back there, however, my instinct tells me not to. It happened so fast that I could not think the possible inferior consequences if I rush things. Nevertheless, I am still eager to find that treasure.

"Now, Atlantis, I see that your eyesight were too focused outside the window. Identify this topic I had discussed earlier. It is the type of the history that seeks conjecturing on what did not happen, or what might have happened, in order to understand what did happen." Atlantis sat properly when she heard Teacher Ben called her name. She then tucked her hair from the back of her right hair because of being tensed. "For example, If I hadn't taken a sip of this hot coffee, I wouldn't have burned my tongue."

I feel her hand pinched my leg at the bottom of the table, telling me to help her answer the question. I will help her, of course, she helped me from those weird creatures inside the library. This is a compensation for her good deed. I hold my pen to write the answer to her book. I wrote it before she stands up.

"Yes, miss Atlantis?"

She, without making it obvious, reads what I have wrote from her book. "The answer for your question is Counterfactual history, sir."

Teacher Ben nodded, he seems convinced about the answer of Atlantis. "Correct! Now, assuming that the history of the City of Arizona has been revealed, and it shows that, we are living our lives with lies because we believed what the man-made history want us to believe. Would you cost your life fighting for what is right or... Would you rather turn a blind-eye just to protect the reputation of the said city and to maintain your pride?"

I was astounded, not for the fact that Teacher Ben asked a random question out of nowhere, but for the fact that everybody, except for me and Atlantis, choose the latter. They are willing to turn a blind-eye for the sake of its reputation and pride? How absurd! If they all want to create a lie for the known and prominent City of Arizona, it will certainly become a truth. This cannot be, I shall object.

I am about to open my mouth but the bell rang, causing me to stop. Teacher Ben just smile at me, his eyes are telling me a deep message that, for now, I cannot decipher. The students waved their farewell to Teacher Ben. I then arranged my things and put it inside my backpack. I release a deep sight because of disappointment before heading outside.

I feel someone tapped my shoulder. I took a glance to see Atlantis smiling at me, just like what Teacher Ben did. "You know, yesterday, my dad told me that in order to maintain peace, the Arizona must be balanced."

I frowned before facing her. "What do you mean by the word, balanced?"

She shrugged and walks to my side. She then make her walk to a halt. "Balanced means silencing the truth and spreading lies to make some thing look good in the eyes of everyone. That is what I meant by the word, balanced, Vida."

"Then I will be the voice of the truth that has been silenced, then."

Atlantis laughs. "And, how do you start raising your voice? Holding a microphone and shouting your so-called-truth? Vida, come on, no one will believe with that."

"Nope, the rudimentary step to outshine the shiner is to know the history, to find what's hidden on the sleeves. And in order to that, let's follow what Teacher Ben discussed earlier."