Prologue 

Misty looked out the window. Since she was the best female shadow elf, she had to fight the Midnight elves. She’s only 13! The only reason she agreed to fight was because of a particular Midnight elf. Misty assumed her name was Artemis because everyone kept calling her that. Artemis is fun to fight. Misty had to admit Artemis is a better fighter than her, But Misty is always the first one to fight Artemis. She leaned against her bed. Then there was a knock on her door. “Misty,” her father said. “it’s time.”

Misty hopped off her bed and followed her father. She knew exactly where they were going. The castle. To plan how to capture the Midnight elf who can open the gate. As they moved closer to the castle, Misty practiced turning into a shadow. When you turn into a shadow, it feels like

you’re floating in midair. Finally, they got to the castle. Long ago, they found out they had powers. The two of them cast a spell on the kingdom to make it look scary. But really, it looks beautiful. The castle is made of teal quartz, with dots of obsidian. She opened the shimmering blue door and walked inside. Since Misty’s father is the leader of the council, in other words, the king, he has to be there first. They walked to the stadium. Misty took her seat. A few minutes later, a bunch of elves were taking their seats. Once the stadium was full, Misty’s father started to speak. In french.  

Misty smacked her face. Of course, he would speak french. When Misty’s father was in the Elvin war, he learned to speak french so he could translate important messages to the elves who speak french. Ever since the war ended, he had a habit of saying important messages in french.   

“Lord Aragon,” Calin, a boy from Misty’s training classes said.

 “We have no idea what you’re saying.”   

    “It's french, kid. I'm SO good at it."

    “Could you please translate it?” Misty could tell Calin was getting annoyed.

    “Fine,” Aragon grumbled. “We are going to-” his voice faded away as Misty imagined a world with no gate, midnight elves and shadow elves at peace, her fighting Artemis, someone who is the same size as her and is better than her. “ To be sure who the right elf is we will attack one more time before the mission.” the crowd nodded. Misty was about to fall into her daydream when Aragon said, “And for the two elves who are coming with me on this mission,” Misty strained her ears. This she wanted to hear.

“Calin and Misty.”

Chapter 1

Artemis jumped, her dagger slicing the air. She landed on the ground, smoothed out her teal tunic, and put her dagger back in its case.

“Good job, Artemis. You are at the top of your training. Now, remember, do not be rough on elves unless they are outside of training.” an Elf named Esma, trainer of the young elves in the School of Fighting and Self-protection, said to Artemis. 

“Thanks, Esma. But I have to go now. I need to sharpen my dagger. See you tomorrow!” Artemis replied. She walked to her bag, a teal one, the same color as her tunic. She had gotten them when first starting her lessons. When she moved to the next level, her tunic and bag would be a different color.

Artemis walked to the shelf where the dagger sharpener lay, wrapped in a dry cloth. She knew what to do, as she’d been instructed by Esma last week. She carefully sharpened her dagger with the dagger sharpener. When finished, she washed the sharpener, put it back on the shelf, and put her dagger into her bag. 

She would practice with it once she got home, to the Village. Artemis swiftly walked out of the School of Fighting and Self-protection. It was the biggest building in the entire Village. There were four floors, just like there were four levels in training. There were windows, too, made of thick glass, and some had curtains so you couldn't see what was inside.  

Artemis was level three. She couldn't wait to become level four, as that was when she got the turquoise bag and tunic. She liked turquoise but even better was the tools.

Level four elves got to use a special type of spear. Artemis turned around, back to the building, and started home.  

Then she heard a familiar sound.  

The shadow elves are here, Artemis thought. She had gotten used to this by now. Since she was at the top of her class, she had to fight, too, alongside all the adult elves. There were a few more elves that were on top of their class, for classes one, two, and four. Artemis got up and brought her dagger with her. She waited. Nothing happened. Then, something shot up from the shadows and attacked her. She pulled out her dagger to block the multiple attacks coming from the shadowy figure. This is why shadow elves are so hard to fight. They can LITERALLY TURN INTO A SHADOW.

  And, as you can imagine, they can be tricky and mischievous.

They could follow you around, pretending to be your shadow. As Artemis blocked the attacks, she looked for an opening to attack.   

Ah ha! She kicked him in the stomach, and he fell to the ground. Artemis took off to help the other elves. Suddenly, she felt two cold hands grabbing at her arms. “Let go!” she cried. She waves her dagger defensively, trying to get at the shadow elves. But the Shadow Elves are too quick. She is held tightly by two pairs of arms.  “Let go of me!” Artemis said. The elves take no notice of her. They drag her away. The other elves are fighting hard. Then, in one swift, coordinated move, Artemis lunged away from the Shadow Elves.  

Just then, Esma was in front of her. “Where are those pesky Shadow Elves? The ones that were holding you?” she asked.

“Um, I pushed them away.” Artemis said.

“Really?” Esma looked impressed. “Well, you’re the first elf I haven't needed to rescue. The Shadow Elves got into kidnapping our elves. ”

Artemis didn't know what to say.  

“I’ll be telling the Elf council about it. In the meantime, you run along.” Esma said. Then she ran away to another elf. Artemis waved her dagger at some approaching Shadow Elves. A kind of pride filled her when she thought of Esma’s words.

  Chapter 2  

“We must choose an elf for the mission. A young elf, one still in training. Older elves won’t get the job done.” the leader of the Elf Council stood in front of the Village.  

“Are you sure? It is a dangerous mission, and young elves-” an elf from the crowd said.

“I know. But the adult elves just aren't fit for the mission. It will be a dangerous one, for sure. That is why the young elf must have certain qualities. We are looking for one in level four, top in his or her training.”

‘I am top in level four training,” an elf stood up.  

“Wonderful! Would you like to be the one in the mission?”

“I can’t. I hurt my leg last Sunday.” the elf said, gesturing to his leg.

 It was wrapped in a hard kind of plaster.

The leader of the Elf Council nodded. “Yes, yes. I understand. Well, we could always postpone it. To next month.”

“But the mission is vital for us elves. You know that we need the elf going on the mission to find out what the Shadow Elves hold against us. We cannot live like this, fighting, fighting, never at peace. I am tired of living in constant fear. The shadow elves have been attacking for months, and very suddenly, too. We need to find the truth.”  

“Very true, Bannerwixk.” the leader nodded his head in agreement. “Does anyone have the strength and bravery to do this?”

Artemis stood still. Would she be the one to be picked? She was scared. Part of her wanted to go, part of her didn't.

“I am training an elf. Her name is Artemis, top in class three. I think she’s the elf for the job.” Esma said.  

 “Level three? But that’s just too young!" Bannerwixk said."Level four is young, elves in level three won’t be able to manage. And we don’t want to risk her life on this mission.”

Esma glanced at Artemis, who was in the crowd. Please, Artemis mouthed. Artemis didn't know what she was asking. Did she want Esma to give up the idea, or to push on? Esma continued. “Artemis is not only top in the class, but she is also the best fighter I have ever known, in my thirty years of training. Yesterday, Shadow Elves had gotten her. I have told you,” here she looked at the leader of the elf council, “That she was able to fend for herself. I was not at her side. She was alone and she survived. No other elf has ever done that.”  

Artemis held her breath and waited. “Well,” said the leader of the council, “I suppose...”  

Hiding behind the stage, unseen by anyone, were two shadow elves. The same ones that had tried to capture Artemis. Artemis had managed to escape without the help of any other elf. They had never seen anything like it. They did not know Artemis’s name but told other shadow elves about her. And, together, the shadow elves had devised a plan.

“Yes,” an elf stepped forward.  

“Mother!” Artemis said. “What are you doing here?”  

“Lyra,” said the leader of the council. “What would you like to say?”

“Artemis is fit for the job. She has been practicing with her father, Kylo.”

“Kylo! Top adult elf? The best fighter in the Village?” the crowd gasped.

“Correct. Although I daresay Artemis may be at his level.”

“No way,”  

“Kylo, tell them.”

Another elf stood up. He was tall and thin, with his long silvery hair flowing to his elbow. Artemis stared. This was becoming a curious day. “I am Artemis’s father. I have been training her in my spare time. And I have never seen such ability. She is as good as me. Possibly better.”

The crowd stared. No one was better than Kylo!

The leader of the elf council weakened a bit. “I guess if Artemis wants to go-”

“I don't want to go,” Artemis said. She had made up her mind. The risk was too great. She wanted to stay where she was, and continue her normal life in the Village.

“But of course you must go!” Someone from the crowd yelled. “If you really are as good as they say-”  

“That’s enough!” the leader of the council said.

He stepped down from his platform and walked to Artemis. “You know the danger you will face. I don’t want you to be brash.”

“We know you can do it,” her mother said. Everyone is counting on me, Artemis thought. I have to go. gathering up all her courage, she finally said "Okay, I'll go".  

The next day, Artemis talk about it with her Family.

"can someone come with me?"

“Yes. It is seriously dangerous. We trust you to do it. But I will not waste more elf lives than necessary for this mission.

“But-”

“Quiet. I organized these. You agreed to it. We agreed to it. You must do as I instruct.”   

“Okay,” Artemis sighed.

She turned around to leave.   

"Wait," said her mother.

She ran towards Artemis and gave her a big hug.

"Here," she said, giving her a bronze and gold compass with a silver lining. This will lead you to the shadow elves."

Artemis didn't know how a compass could help her find a foreign land, but she trusted her mother.

"go the direction the arrow points." Said her mother.

She gave her mother one last hug and ran off.

Chapter 3

Artemis had been following the compass's arrow for hours. The pointer changed direction each time she turned, like a normal compass. She'd been walking in circles. Finally, Artemis threw her hands in the air. Looking around, she realized she was lost. How would she get back to the Village? How foolish she'd been, agreeing to do the mission, and now she had failed it.

Then, there was and unexpected turn. Maybe I'm going the right way after all, she thought. Just then, the compass started vibrating. I think that means I'm almost there, she thought. Then, she felt her stomach rumble.

She sat down on a rock and took out a sandwich wrapped in clean dried leaves from her bag. Right before she was about to pick it up there was a plop sound. plop, plop. she looked up and she saw a monkey, when she looked down, she realized the monkey pooped on my sandwich.

"you little-" she said angrily. She chased after it with swift, quick movements. "MY SANDWICH WAS YUMMY AND I WAS STARVING! I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!" Then she remembered why she was here. She checked the compass. the arrow seemed to be following the monkey, so she put it away and continued. She jumped from one branch to another, navigating through the branches and trees of the unknown forest. Trying to get at that annoying monkey. The monkey seemed to like being chased, as it kept shrieking with delight.

"YOU MONKEY! I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR POOPING ON MY SANDWICH!" Artemis chased the monkey for half an hour, screaming her head off, until finally, she an the compass started buzzing and flew back into her bag. She and the monkey had reached the land of the shadow elves. The land of the Shadow elves was cold and gray. They ground was rocky and hard to walk through. It looked as though this place was part of the forest once. A huge black tower loomed over everything. It was surrounded by forest. our forest. Artemis thought. This is why our village is so small. It's too dangerous to go any further.  Just then an elk came out of the forest, hopped on the monkey's head, and went back in. Artemis stared at the monkey. It was dead. Then she felt cold hands wrap around her arms. "Let go of me!"  Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her right arm. Everything went black.  

Chapter 4

What's happening? Artemis wondered. "Ya really think this is the elf?" a voice said.

"Seems like it," another voice replied.

"And do ya think we should let it out?"

Artemis kicked around. She seemed to be in a sort of bag.

"Well, it can't be opening gates when it's in a bag, can it?"

"Ya gotta point there. Let's do it, eh?"

Artemis was released. Emsa had told her not to be rough on elves unless they were outside of training. Well, this was outside of training.

Artemis used her best moves.

Her dagger had been in her bag, which she still had a tight grip on. Whap! Artemis swung the bag around using every ounce of her strength.

The first shadow elf fell to the ground. There was another one. Artemis turned and prepared to swing her bag at it. But it was too fast. Quickly, it turned into a shadow. Artemis dug out her dagger, a racing energy filling her.

Then she realized she was alone. Well, except for the shadows. She turned round slowly and looked around. She was still in the Land of Shadow Elves. Artemis turned around again to look at the Shadow Elf she had hit with her bag. It wasn't there. "You don't hurt us, we won't hurt you." a voice said.

"As if!" Artemis said.

A Shadow Elf grabbed at her bag before she could stop it.

Artemis stuffed her dagger into her pocket, knowing that it didn't fit. She kept a tight grip on it. Another elf grabbed her arms and said, "Don't escape. And don't dare try to fight."

"Huh!" Artemis tried to slip out of the Shadow Elf's grip. A jolt of pain spread through her right arm. "OW!"

"If you don't hurt us, we won't hurt you," the elf holding her bag said. Artemis figured she knew what to do.

"Why, of course," she said, trying to put on her best I-am-not-lying-and-I'm-perfectly-innocent look. "I won't harm you."

"Ya better not."

Artemis's arm still hung limp with pain. Her other arm was held by a Shadow Elf. She was powerless. "Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"The gates."

"Gates? Where do the gates lead to?"

"Ah, c'est au-delà de nos connaissances. Nous n'avons pas pu l'ouvrir. Mais nous croyons que derrière ces merveilleuses portes se cachent la richesse, la splendeur, une connaissance illimitée. C'est votre destin de l'ouvrir." 

    "Um, English? I have no idea what you're saying."

    "It's french, kid. I'm SO good at it."

    "JUST TRANSLATE IT ALREADY!"

    "Fine, fine, fine. It's beyond our knowledge. We couldn't open it. But we believe that behind these marvelous doors lie wealth, splendor, unlimited knowledge. It's your destiny to open it."

    "How do you know that?" she couldn't help but ask. 

    "Will you stop asking questions?" the Shadow Elf asked, annoyed.    

    "Please? Just one more?"Artemis tried to ask politely.

    "Fine." He grumbled.

    " A long time ago-"

      "When exactly?"

    "Shut up and let me finish!"

    "Sure."

    "A long time ago, when Stincormooch was grand and wise, unlike the stupid elf he is now, he found the gate. Carved on it was a massage it said: a certain Midnight Elf with very good fighting skills  will be able to open this gate."

    "So my fighting skills are good?"

    "Great, actually."

    "why am I able to open the gate then?"

"because of some magical power"

"that's cool."

Artemis never thought she was good at fighting because of some magical power, but it was kind of cool. No elf known as ever had any kind of magical power.

"Anyway, where's that gate thing?"

"It's right in front of you."

Chapter 5

"That?" Artemis stared. She was shocked The gate was old, battered, and dirty. She had been expecting something grand, if the Shadow Elves thought it had good things in it. "Can't you just break it?" it looked like it would fall down with just the slightest touch.

The Shadow Elf holding her ran to the gate and kicked it with brutal force. The gates remained closed. Wow! It was stronger than it looked. The elf holding Artemis's bag had it's grip on both her arms. "Open it." the elf said.

"But-"

A sharp pain shot through her arm. She winced.

"Alright, fine!" Artemis remembered how the gate had held strong when the Shadow Elf had kicked it. I'll just fail, and they'll bring me back to the Village. Wait, no! She hadn't completed her mission yet! "Why do you keep attacking the Village? What is the grudge you've got against Midnight Elves?" "To find the Midnight Elf that could open the gates!"

"Oh! So now that you've got me, the Village won't be attacked anymore? That's great! I'll go back there and spread the good news-"

"No you won't! First open that gate."

Artemis was about to protest. Then she realized, I do want to know what's at the other side of the gate. Maybe I'll give it a try. This whole thing is dumb, anyway.

The Shadow Elf dragged her to the gate and released her. Artemis started to escape. Then pain shot through her arm. "Will you stop doing that?"

"Not till you open the gate."

"Fine." Artemis turned towards the gate then dashed away from it as quick as she possibly could. The pain shot through her arm, but she didn't care. She just ran. As fast as she could, pain jolting through her arm. The pain slowed her down. The shadow elf caught up to her. "Do it and I will stop." she couldn't do anything. So she agreed. she walked towards the gate and gave it a gentle tap. the gates swung open. Suddenly, hundreds of tiny arms grabbed Artemis and the two shadow elves and pulled them through the gate.