I lit up a cigarette and brought it to my mouth. Blowing out the smoke slowly, I watched as it drifted up and disappeared into the night. Stars were nowhere to be found in the sky, but that was to be expected. Pollution was high in the city.

Focus. I reprimanded myself. I stood in an alley.

It was practically soaked with dirt and mud. Pipes farther down were rusting as they sat on the floor, with trickles of sewage coming from the entrance creating a puddle in front. The alley was wedged between a particularly expensive restaurant and the hotel my target had called home for the past four days.

So far, my target had never been alone or without supervision from his security. So my mission had unfortunately extended longer than originally planned.

I glanced around. Several gangs loitered in the alley as well.

The groups were a mix of pierced, tattooed men and women, looking menacing and tough enough to make a grown man cry.

But in the city, if you weren't High Rank - no matter how terrifying you were - make one slight mistake and you would be dead by morning.

No one dared to be alone, it was much easier to get chewed up and spit back out that way.

But I took those chances. I always had.

I glanced at my watch. My target was two minutes late.

Ugh.

I glanced around the alley and found a group staring at me, in a way they probably thought was subtle. I tugged my dark hood farther over my face, letting the shadows hide my features in their darkness.

The group was probably intrigued by my age. I was young compared to most of the Outcasts. I was only seventeen, while most of the Outcasts were years older.

I stole a quick glance back at the nosy group, finding their gazes still glued onto me. Even with the hood, their suspicions ran so obvious and humid in the air. I sent them a sharp glare. That made them look away.

But I didn't blame them for staring.

Most people my age would still be living with their loving families, innocent and anticipating their next turn of age, the age when almost everyone in society was separated into their Ranks. The Ranks that determined their jobs, friends, lovers, and pretty much the rest of their lives.

Every eighteen year old would enter the Test of Ranks. They explain anything and everything about them to the leaders of the city, and then begin a series of tests that would test their intelligence, genetics, and aptitude for success. And every eighteen year old would emerge, their future in the hands of the leaders they left behind.

In the next several days the teenagers would go and receive a letter, one that told them which Rank they supposedly belonged to and would pack up their stuff to leave their lifelong home, either staying in their born Rank, or leaving it for a higher or lower one.

The rest of their lives would be almost entirely planned out as they begin their lives anew. It was just the life of a regular, normal person.

My future used to be like that.

It was what was to be expected.

And the High Ranks would take care of any problems because they were the High Ranks, powerful and always, always right.

At least... that's what I used to think. That's what you're supposed to think.

I looked around. I used to gaze at the world as if it was this perfect, happy place. But I had learned that a world like that doesn't exist. A perfect world could never exist.

So... I adapted.

I joined the Outcasts - the unofficial rank I now belonged to - one made of the people who decided not to belong to any Rank and to rebel against the unfair prejudices.

And I had fallen into a life of darkness, a life promised to be heading for hell.

An assassin. That was what I was. That was what I had become. It all had started years ago, when I witnessed my parents' murders. And I learned something I hadn't known before: The world was corrupt. It was damaged, wrecked. I had to learn that the hard way. The High Ranks were said to be better, said to be the best. But no amount of wealth or riches changed the hidden truth above all others: they were not who they said they were.

I was about to disappear into my thoughts again when I heard voices arguing. Voices that were so unashamedly loud I had no doubt in my mind that they belonged to High Ranks.

As the groups around me scattered in fear, wisely coming to similar realizations, I slipped closer to the unrecognized group, hidden by secretive shadows as I focused on the High Ranks's voices.

"Father-" A young, fragile voice began. A slight amount of fear and helplessness trickled in, mostly hidden by the presence of draining determination.

"Not now, Charity," a booming one interrupted.

Although I had not gotten a glance of the man yet, his powerful presence certainly made up for what I could not yet see.

"But-"

"Not. Now."

"Come along, Charity. Let's go get ice cream," a soft voice appeared, as comforting and kind as a child's beloved, favorite toy.

"O-Ok, Vivi," the girl called Charity answered with a defeated sigh.

I heard footsteps daintily walk away and peeked around the corner of the alley when I was sure no one would see me.

A young girl walked with an older one down the busy street. The former was at least several years from the Test of Ranks and had blonde, middle-lengthed hair that spreads across her shoulders.

The latter had dark - again middle lengthed - hair that was loosely brought into a braid.

Their hands held each other in a loving way in which they could only be family. The presence man with the booming voice was gone, most likely lost in the crowds of the city.

I was about to turn away when a light shone in my view.

I jerked towards its direction and found the moonlight reflecting off a long, shiny piece of metal; a sword. The person wielding the sword was dressed in dark clothing with their face covered with a mask and was facing the two girls. Most would suppose that it was someone playing dress-up or just a low-life criminal. But I recognized the person for what they really were: an assassin.

___

Foolishly abandoning my mission, I followed the person and the two oblivious girls, occasionally slipping into the shadows when the assassin with the sword glanced around. The two girls finally arrived at a particularly sparkly mansion in the richest part of the High Ranks area of the city after some excessively candy-covered ice cream at a weirdly elegant ice cream shop.

It was getting darker, and I gave thanks to the newly paved roads, completely different from the crumbling, bumpy ones deeper in the city. It was much easier to avoid tripping in the dark with a smoother path as I caught up to the assassin with the sword, who was surveying the mansion the girls had entered.

Frustration flirted with me. I was taking a risk, following my curiosity, rather than my trusted brain, and the girls would most likely emerge in the morning, when the danger of night criminals had passed.

I slipped out of view behind a shed in the mansion's surrounding, extensive yard. The shed was bigger than the size of two typical Low Ranks' homes, and hid me well while giving me a view of the assassin with the sword's progress on infiltrating the mansion.

Fortunately for whoever slept inside with the two girls, the assassin with the sword wasn't doing very well. It was to be expected after all.

Many people, some of them past companions of mine, had tried for many reasons; Justice, murder, a way to make High Ranks feel as we did when they ruined our lives. But in every reason they explained or every way they thought of it, there was one twisted yet simple reason every one of them attempted to attack High Ranks: revenge.

Maybe the High Ranks deserved it, karmic pain and loss reflecting back against them. But whether they did or not, no one had survived an intrusion of a High Ranks house. The security in their homes was too advanced, being updated at an unhackable rate.

I had never tried, if you're wondering. My past is painful enough with every nightmare weaved together from the memories wandering my consciousness. Entering the home of the people who destroyed everything would be almost too much to bear.

A little too-loud sigh came from the darkness, about a few yards away. I blinked quite a few times, eyes adjusting more as I made out the outline of the assassin with the sword, who was almost invisible with their black clothes blending into the night.

Silently, I watched them as they sat behind a cluster of bushes, around the corner of my shed. They looked defeated, even with the mask. No wonder. The home across the lawn was impenetrable.

As midnight arrived, I was wide awake as the assassin lulled into a sleep, softly snoring. Amateur.

But the almost nonexistent threat of danger was inviting, almost begging me to sleep. So I soon, not exactly willingly, fell into my sub-consciousness, still illuminated by the mansion's sparkles. Lovely.

___

I awoke with blinding light shining down on me. What a maddening sun. I opened my eyes, squinting to find the first rays of morning falling down on me. It was quite a spectacular view. I typically spent more time farther in the city, where my business usually occurred. This was a treat for me.

The assassin with the sword was still right where I last saw him, snoring - much louder now - and sound asleep, leaning into the cluster of bushes that kept them out of sight. For most people, at least.

But soon, they startled themself awake with a particularly monstrous snore and woke with a jolt. What a doofus.

And a little later - much shorter than what I was expecting - the two girls appeared in their doorway, looking slightly different with their different clothing and hairstyles but still the same, nonetheless.

The older wore a light green dress now, one with layered ruffles and a length that just barely kept from dragging on the ground. Her hair was piled on her head now, with graceful curls and messy sort of elegant.

Her younger companion wore a white dress, simpler than yesterday's. A headband that matched the simplicity and color of her dress pulled her loose hair from her face. Both looked well-rested and eager to start the day. It reminded me of no one I've ever known.

The assassin with the sword looked eagerly at them, but remained patient and hidden. I suppose they knew it was certainly to attack the girls in broad daylight with no backup and no plan. Hm. Not so much of a doofus after all.

The two girls headed into town and as the assassin with the sword followed, I followed as well.

Sounds of chatter and laughs faded in as we grew closer to their destination, and we all soon found ourselves at a marketplace. I watched the assassin with the sword carefully, curious of what they were to do now.

Finally they stepped into the sunlight and I could see that they had gray eyes and, according to their build and their shallow curves, was a man.

He let out a loud call, sounding like a bad-pitched singing rooster, and started towards the two girls, who stood next to the dirt road of the marketplace, gazing at the beautiful merchandise hung for wondering eyes.

Men and women around them scrambled away from the approaching assassins and the wealthy victims. I could almost sense their fear in the air.

I tensed as two other men, dressed the same as the assassin with the sword, appeared from the crowd like darkness to color and grabbed both of the girls and held knives to their fragile throats.

"Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen?!" The assassin with the sword yelled. The loud chatter that once filled the afternoon air stopped abruptly and fell silent.

"I want all your money and valuables or the Elrods die!" He yelled, gesturing towards the vulnerable victims. I noted a few looks passed when the Elrods' name was shouted.

The Elrods were popular High Ranks. None of the members of that family had been anything lower than the highest for decades. One of our society's leaders was an Elrod so the family was extremely powerful.

The problem is, with all the money they had, they hadn't thought to share it. All their charities and donations went to hotels and businesses and not towards the people, who were struggling constantly.

"Did I stutter?! Money and Valuables! Now!" The assassin with the sword yelled again. The sharp knives touched their targets' throats stiffly with an unspoken threat.

No one stepped forward. All eyes were averted away from the scene and the mens' plan, just like that, had failed.

Are they kidding? I thought incredulously, the Elrods are selfish and spoiled but they don't deserve to die... Why isn't anyone trying to help them?

"Fine! Have it your way!" The assassin with the sword nodded toward his dark clothed companions, who started pressing the knives into the girls' fragile throats. Slowly.

Meanwhile, I stood in bewilderment.

It didn't make any sense. Assassins were paid for the job, they didn't receive money during it. These men were using their skills and making threats for their personal gain, not completing a task for their bosses. They weren't being hired for anything, instead making a plan full of empty threats and risky actions. And what sort of assassins ourightly threatened a marketplace full of people? An assassin's job wasn't one of boasts and arrogance. Instead, we worked in the darkness, invisible and deadly.

An idea formed in my head. A reckless one. A dangerous one. A foolish one. But the only one I had.

"Hey!" I yelled, stepping out into the sunlight and the assassin' heads whipped toward me. "I have an idea! We spar! If I win, you let the girls go!" I pointed towards the girls and their ashen faces. "If you win, I owe you a favor and you'll be free to do whatever you please with the Elrods."

The assassin with the sword sneered at my offer, but a glint of interest flickered in his eyes. A favor was a powerful thing, a merciless promise that could not be taken back. "And how do we know that you'll be true to your promise?"

I walked right up to the man and stared at him unblinking until he shifted his gaze away.

"I am The White Shadow. I'll stay true." I spoke in a flat voice, loud enough so all three criminals could hear me.

The two girls' eyes widened. Desire was in full view in the assassin with the sword's expression now. To be owed a favor was one thing, but to have a legendary assassin to your disposal...

But a hint of doubt still clouded his eyes. It's predictable that he wouldn't believe me. I am, after all, young. It's obvious, even with my hood and mask. And the stories of the White Shadow are ones of slaughter and fear. I wouldn't've believed me if I were him either.

But he was prideful, arrogant. The way he held himself and drawled about made a show of it, and to be challenged of his self confidence would be unacceptable, an act against his very nature.

"Unless you're too scared." That did it. The words yanked him over the edge and his eyes gleamed.

"I'm not scared of a little girl."

"Good. Let's begin." We drew our weapons, his sword in his hand and my dagger in mine.

"How do you think you're supposed to win this with only a dagger?" he sneered as we faced each other, both alert and ready, on the dirt road. I smiled a small smile and ran towards him.

He prepared to defend but I slid under him, twisting and kicking his back hard enough that he fell on the dirt road, a cloud being kicked up as he collided with the ground.

Wagons stopped to watch and common men and women stared.

The assassin with the sword stepped forward to jab at me with his weapon but I moved to the side and swiped at his leg, digging in far enough that it would be very painful to walk. The man with the sword staggered and cursed as he fell.

I grabbed his weapon and pressed it against his throat, careful to keep it pressured hard enough to hurt but soft enough to keep the sharp edge from breaking skin.

"Yield, release the girls, and you'll live," I spoke calmly.

The man with the sword gave the men a signal and they dropped the girls, but only to start towards me.

I abandoned the assassin with the sword and faced off with the others, swiping their daggers. But before I could throw them, the assassin with the sword grabbed a knife from a hidden pocket and managed to stand long enough to stab my arm.

I gritted my teeth and through the pain, I pulled the dagger from my arm and stabbed his stomach fiercely. Red spotted my vision as I threw the daggers towards the other men with my other hand pressed against my arm. I grabbed the wrists of the now released girls and pulled them into an empty alley before The Keepers of Peace arrived at the scene.

"Are you both alright?" I asked, breathless.

"Y-you saved us," the older one said, astonished. "Why?"

"Not all Outcasts are monsters. Besides, there is enough blood on the streets." I answered before kneeling down on one knee so I could meet the eyes of the younger girl. She was shaking and her face was damp from tears.

"What's your name?" I asked gently.

"Ch-Charity and th-this is my sissy Vivi," she said, stuttering from fear. I smiled sadly.

"That's her nickname for me. My full name is Violetta," the older sister, Violetta, corrected.

"I don't know... I kinda like Vivi," I answered with a smile and Charity's face broke into a toothy grin, tears drying.

"Well Charity and Vivi, I'm Selina. Ready to go home?" I held my hand out for Charity, who took it with one hand and then held her sister's silky gloved one with the other.

I guided the two girls through the alleys, keeping an eye out for people who might try to jump us, but no one stirred. One block away from the Elrod's mansion, I stopped and turned back to go, leaving Charity and Violetta to walk in the door.

"You won't come inside?" Violetta asked me before I could slip away. "You will be rewarded greatly for saving us."

"Thanks but I don't need any rewards. I'm only grateful no one has arrested me yet," I said, only half joking. I winked at Charity and she giggled.

"Will you be alright?" Violetta asked, glancing at my wounded arm. Blood was pouring, drenching my shirt so much, it had turned from black to a dark red.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." I shrugged and then winced. I smiled again at both of them and started back into the shadows, waving with my good arm.

Soon they disappeared from sight, along with our new found friendship. High Ranks and Outcasts weren't friends and could never be friends. While High Ranks had everything they could ever want, including a family, Outcasts were lucky if they had even one familiar they could trust. Even though they deserve a lot more.

Today, I was a hero. I saved two innocent girls. But tomorrow? None of that will matter. I'm an Outcast. I will always be an Outcast. And I pride myself in that, not because I can kill, but because I don't have to be limited by Ranks. I can fight for myself and what I believe in. Something many don't have the courage to do.