Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 5)

Part 5
With her arms outstretched to the wind, Selena had her arms out like a bird. “This is exhilarating!” She squealed like a child as her raven dark hair whipped around behind her.
“You should hold on.” Yenir said, “We wouldn’t want our only hope to fall now would we.” Selena pouted playfully.
Selena pressed close to Yenir as they flew over the sand. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as the golden desert flew swiftly below. She leaned closer and spoke in his ear.
"So where to handsome?" Her full lips brushed ever so slightly against his lobe.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Yenir leaned back into her embrace. Sizrit and Twik looked at each other and rolled their eyes at the display. "Laeral only instructed me to find you."
"Well that is unfortunate. Guess we'll just have to wait for her to contact us." She leaned back and let her hair fly in the wind. The wind caressed her hair and let it flow like silk water as they flew.
Selena....Selena jumped and looked around. A voice had resounded somewhere nearby. Sizrit saw her jump.
"My Lady what is it?" Sizrit flew to her shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Selena!
"A ghost! Sizrit you're brilliant." Selena rummaged through her pack, looking for something. Sizrit sat on her shoulder intrigue and confusion plain in his eyes. "Where is it? Oh, it has to be in here somewhere."
"Lost something, love?" Yenir turned to face the frustrated Selena. She gave him a quick, sharp look that could have frozen his very blood and continued frantically searching her stuff. She let out a relieved sigh and pulled out what she was looking for. Sizrit burst out laughing. In her hand was nothing more than a charred chip of cobble, more than likely used in the building of a mere cottage or barn.
"That’s what you were looking for?" Sizrit laughed coarsely "It's nothing more than a chip of granite."
"This isn't any old piece of granite, observe." She held her hand out in a welcoming gesture known to be used by those of Shadowdale. "Sister, I am here." The chip glowed in a blue-silver light and a billowing, smoky form took shape at her side. A beautiful human with silver hair and a ghostly Rashemar mask over her features slowly took shape. Her ethereal gown trailed off into the ether giving her legs a disembodied look.
"Sister I have an urgent message from Laerel." Her head bowed in sadness...
"Well out with it Sylune! We living view time differently than the dead, and we have very little time to dawdle." Sylune’s ghostly head snapped up,
"Laerel has been captured."
Shock and disbelief roused in Selena's face. Yenir whipped his head around to face the ghostly chosen.
"You can't mean Laeral Arunsun? When and by whom?" Yenir was taken aback by such news. Someone of great power would have been able to subdue her and capture her. She was not one to be taken lightly when confronted. Fear shone in Sylune's eyes through the mask.
"It was the spider queen herself. She came to waterdeep in a storming fury. She is weak but still strong enough to overtake both Laerel and Khelben. Even father came to their aid to no avail." Selena gasped,
"Elminster!? Were they slain?" Her voice was desperate.
"Khelben was badly injured and is slow to recover. He is crazed and babbling. None know what dark magic Lolth used to subdue him." Sylune looked down in growing despair "Elminster was shattered to the ether. I cannot feel him here with me so there is hope he is still alive."
"There is always hope. Where is Laerel now? You can still contact her can you not?" Selena was pressed on the verge of tears from the news.
"Yes but the line of communication grows thin and I dare not pass where she is for long." Terror was plain in Sylune's voice.
"Sylune I need to know where she is." Sylune nodded in compliance
"She is in the Abyss. She is being held captive in the realm of the Spider Queen." Selena was both furious and surprised at this news. She clutched the necklace around her neck. Yenir groaned at the thought. He didn't like this not one bit. "I'm sorry. Be well." With her last words Sylune faded away.
"It's a trap" Sizrit squaked "She's made her web and now she needs you Selena. Why?" Sizrit eyed her supiciously. "First the Drow, then that dragon, now this. What do you have that she wants?" He looked to the amulet she was clinging to.
"I was once a chosen of Mystra even though I worshipped the goddess Sharess. When I defeated Lolth I was given her reign but refused such a dark title. However, I still hold a piece of the Dark Queen's power. I hold three Goddess' powers with me. One chose me, one I chose, and one I would never have chosen." She glanced down and opened her hands to reveal the spider amulet. "This holds the Mantle of Lolth hidden and trapped. I hold it here to protect it. Without it Lolth can't grant her powers to her people. Without it she is not a Goddess."
"But she still has power enough to defeat the three most powerful spell casters in all Faerun." Yenir felt defeated. He had never faced a God before and that was exactly what they would have to do to save Laerel. Lolth was taunting Selena like a fly.
"That is why she can affect this plane." Twik said suddenly. Yenir, Szirit and Selena both looked to the gnome. "The Gods are not allowed to affect this plane directly. They are forbidden by Ao himself. That is why they need worshippers and denizens. They are a God’s hands, mouths and eyes."
"So you're saying we should give the Mantle back?" Yenir couldn't believe what he was hearing. However it made sense. Without her Mantle, Lolth was not a Goddess. So she was not bound to act as such. They all looked to Selena.
"I will not!" She shouted unleashing her pent up fury, "I would rather die than make her a Goddess again!"
“Then there must be another way." Yenir agreed with Selena, but with the drow massing throughout Faerun they would have to do something. "Then we go to the Abyss." Now everyone turned their gaze on him. He steeled his resolve and all nodded in agreement. They set down with Razorhawk onto the sand and bid him to fly back to Waterdeep. “He will find his way home." Yenir then raised his hands and gestured one of his most powerful spells. A crack of thunder split the weave and a shimmering portal opened between the worlds. A spectral wind that was neither cold nor warm rushed out of the threshold.
"Lolth is expecting us. Let's not keep her waiting." He smiled reassuringly to Selena. She smiled back. Both kept their dread hidden behind their eyes...