He nodded. "And yet his beyonder is active. I can feel it. That throws everything else into doubt. And only two ways for that to happen. One is that Barid has fully absorbed his beyonder, meaning he IS a manifested, naturalized one for all intents and purposes. Two is that it never died as I had hoped, and it is controlling him far more subtly than any other I have encountered before. Neither inspire confidence.<br/><br/>So, for one year, I am working WITH him, but not FOR him. Resources include a plane of dragons that don't want anything to do with me, the dying and damaged remains of my elite constructs, whatever the kitsunes can supply for a former Kyuubi when the current is working for Barid, whatever my companions have up their sleeves that I don't know about, which is a lot and makes it really hard for me determine how best to utilize everyone, and whatever fleet remains manage to get spat out of a portal between now and then.<br/><br/>And against me, an empire, several established beyonder hosts, and Barid. Enough said, me thinks. I certainly have my work cut out for me, at very least. Oh, and a definite time limit, but no idea how long it is for. Did I miss anything?"<br/><br/>He waited a moment, before sighing. "And now the hardest part, where to start and with what?"