Part 1
Around a large table in the sub-basement of the Hissing Lobster, 9 people sat and planned. Sirene Ignitis, their self appointed leader. Yurn, the Chief Templar of the Temple of Justice. Rebecca Montague, the white haired, blue eyed vampiric phantom thief. The bear sized Father Hamlin DeFountain, High Priest of Agbus, the Avatar of Order. Jack O'Malley, the water mage master of the Void Knights. Marv, the greatest thief of Whitemire. Vicky Valorian the vampire, youngest child of the extremely wealthy Valorian family. Jessie Vindicar, the heartbreak thief. Heather Dorchaidhe, the Moonfall Prince and heir of Spioraid. Last of all, Serge, the quiet husband of Vicky.
"So why do you even need all of us, Sirene?" Jessie asked as she fiddled with her knife.
"Because Liddell can't be harmed by time magic." Sirene said, sighing as she explained it yet again. "I need fighters, magic casters, and especially people who would be immune to her decay."
"Which is where we come in." Rebecca said, gesturing at herself, Vicky, and Serge. "We're already dead so decay won't do anything."
"That's still just speculation." Heather countered as she wrote. "Sirene, how did you defeat her the first time?"
Sirene looked up. Finally a worthwhile question, she was so pleased she clapped.
"Finally, someone who understands." Sirene said, smiling broadly. "The battle lasted a decade."
"What." Rebecca said flatly. "You fought her for ten fucking years straight?"
"That's why there's 9 of us this time!" Sirene said, still smiling. "Look, I'm going to be honest, I don't know how to fucking kill her either. You already heard Yurn's description of her, I really don't know what to do."
"Why can't Lady Eigengrau take care of it?" Jack asked. "This seems a bit above us."
"Because Amaranth escaped her fate." Sirene answered. "The only God who can deal with her now is Vordea and nobody wants that."
"I'll never get over you using the names of Gods so casually." Hamlin said, shaking his head.
"Even after that battle, she wouldn't die." Sirene continued, ignoring Hamlin's remark. "My Master had to come down and rip her soul out."
"Rip?" Marv asked nervously.
"Exactly as horrifying as it sounds." Sirene answered.
"So what exactly is the plan?" Vicky asked.
"Liddell is immune to all forms of time magic, for reasons my Master still hasn't figured out, so I can't just stop time and punch her so hard she ceases to exist." Sirene said, frowning. "So we have to wear her down. Watching my own body rot and regenerate is an experience I don't want to repeat, so I'm not fighting her directly this time."
"Rot?" Jack asked, wide eyed.
"Saint Liddell the Abandoned, her miracle is decay." Hamlin answered. "Just as the world itself abandoned her, it will abandon you."
"But for a vampire, we are already dead." Serge said quietly. "So she can't rot us. In theory."
"Before we continue, a question." Heather said, raising her hand. "What exactly would happen if we had Lady Vordea take care of this?"
Sirene opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. She closed it again and frowned. It was a good question, what would happen?
"My Master only warned me there would be a lot of collateral damage." Sirene said, still thinking. "A moment." Sirene stood up and vanished.
"What the-" Marv said, jumping off.
"She probably went to ask." Hamlin said, smiling.
The planning continued for many more days, with little progress being made. Drinks and food came and went, as did sleep and the vampires. Yurn tried to follow the vampires once, but Hamlin picked him up with a single hand and merely shook his head, before placing him back down.