"Another lifetime," he said to himself, insufferably pleased, running his hand over his bald spot, tracing the outline of the white skull there and posing before the glass. Basking in his own company, the wizard stared at his image for nearly half an hour.

Changing into a new scarlet robe, he waltzed to his wine cabinet, his gait lively. He selected a bottle, the label of which was yellowed with age and unreadable, snatched two glasses, and padded to his couch. Maligor considered wine the only thing that improved with age.

"Asp!" he shouted to the guards beyond his chamber. "Bring Asp here at once!" He wanted to share the excitement of his new form with her.

Maligor had finished his fourth glass of wine by the time the spirit naga arrived. She slithered into the room and moved in front of him, coiling her snake half into a tight spiral and resting backward on it, not visibly reacting to his new appearance. She was not her usual prim self this morning. Her hair was disheveled and her face and arms were smudged with dirt. She had the faint odor of sweat about her, which Maligor considered at once repulsive and alluring.

"You're drinking rather early," she stated, dispensing with the formalities he demanded and snapping him out of his good mood. The naga was furious he had risked his life by drinking the longevity potion; she wanted him alive until he gained enough power so she would have a sizable share of wealth and influence for herself. If he died before their plans were realized, she would have to leave Thay. None of the other Red Wizards would stand for the presence of a power-hungry spirit naga who served a wizard that had schemed against them.

Asp let her anger surface. "So you're younger," she hissed. "And you're celebrating by drowning yourself in wine."

"Beautiful Asp, won't you join me in a drink?" The wizard's manner was drunkenly gracious as he extended a half-filled glass of dark red liquid.

"No," she spat.

Maligor raised a shaggy eyebrow, never before had the naga refused him.

Asp rose on her snake's lower body to tower above the Red Wizard. "Those elixirs could kill you," she fumed, "yet you risk it to regain your youth."

"Enough!" Maligor snarled. His pleasant disposition had turned increasingly sour. "I won't tolerate your insolence. Watch yourself, my pretty Asp. I could kill you with a word and replace you before your body grew cold!"

Maligor's anger had sobered him. He slammed down the empty glass, breaking it. Reaching forward, he grabbed the naga's shoulders, digging his nails deep into her tender skin with a new strength that made her wince.

"You will treat me with respect," he ordered, his face inches from hers. "You will obey me. You will lick the soles of my slippers if I desire. And you will never talk to me in such a manner ever again."

The naga trembled but sat pale and silent until he released her. She rubbed her shoulders where the white marks from his nails stood out. She fumed with contempt and hatred, but she held her thin tongue, believing the wizard really would kill her if she angered him further.

"I beg your forgiveness, my lord. I'm tired, and I've been drilling the gnolls steadily for the past three days. The task has made me thoughtless and foolish."

"Eloquent to the last, Asp," Maligor said, stepping away from her and to his mirror, where he could look at himself again. He fancied that he looked more handsome with hair.

The Red Wizard caught the naga's image in the reflection of the mirror and stood there, enjoying watching her squirm. He imagined that soon other wizards would find themselves in her position, under his thumb and bowing to his mandates.

After a while, Asp broke the uneasy silence.

"Why did you summon me, Lord Maligor?" She remained face forward, not looking at him, and continued her courteous but strained dialogue. "I thought you wanted me to stay with the gnolls."

Maligor paused before answering, giving her more time to feel uncomfortable. Finally he took his eyes away from his younger form. He pivoted to face her, twirling his left index finger in his beard. He still needed her-for a few more months, anyway.

"And you shall return to them," he said, the edge gone from his voice and his expression almost emotionless. "It is time to bring them all together and begin our reign of terror."

He padded back toward the couch, eased himself onto the soft leather, and met her uncertain gaze. "We will bring them here-all of them. As they camp outside my tower, you can instruct them a final time. Then you will lead them to glory."

Asp blanched but somehow found the courage to softly rebuke him. "My lord, if we bring them here, it will unnerve the wizards in Amruthar and draw the attention of Szass Tam."

Maligor touched Asp again, this time stroking her chin and gently wiping away a smudge of dirt. "Let them think what they will. Their fear makes us stronger, and no one in Amruthar would dare go on the offensive against my army. They'll simply wait. And watch. And worry."

Asp rose with Maligor. In an uncharacteristic gesture, he escorted her to the door.

"I have your loyalty in this?" he posed, hoping she would agree; he couldn't afford to eliminate her yet.

"You have my loyalty, my being, and my love," she replied huskily, once again guardedly comfortable in his presence.

The Red Wizard kissed her deeply, as if to cement her fidelity, then shooed her from the room.

Once again alone, Maligor returned to his mirror. What to do with his appearance, he thought. Red Wizards in Thay had no hair. Those outside of Thay, such as ambassadors and spies, wore hair to conform with the styles of whatever society they were in at the moment. He should shave it, he knew, to fit in. He should summon a slave and have her deal with it. Or, he thought, he could let it be. For a time, at least.

Maligor stared at the tresses that now set him apart from his peers. He would leave them alone, he decided. Shaving one's head wasn't a required act, just fashionable, and he believed he looked better this way-and more sinister.

He chose to look in on Asp, to make sure the spirit naga was carrying out his orders. He didn't doubt that she would gather the gnolls; he just wanted to make sure she attended to it right away.

The Red Wizard retrieved a large crystal ball from a shelf in his closet. It felt heavy in his hands, although Maligor was pleased to note that it didn't take any effort to carry it. The crystal was smooth, flawless, and only a few weeks old. He had acquired it from a merchant who dealt in the arcane.

Maligor had used the crystal only a few times and had been pleased with its effectiveness. He realized nearly all of the Red Wizards possessed such devices, and some-like himself-had several. However, Maligor used only his newest acquisitions, those he determined were enchanted within the past year. Even though magic kept its potency, he preferred using things with little age to them.

He sat on the couch, holding the crystal in his lap and staring into its center. Concentrating, he caused a soft yellow glow to flow from his eyes, down his arm, and into his hand. The light pulsated and glowed, then arced to the crystal. When the glow faded, he saw Asp; she had used her innate enchantments to shift form and give herself legs. Fully clothed, she rode a heavy black war-horse away from the tower heading north.

Maligor wondered if other wizards were watching her as well.

He hoped so.

For the next several hours, he watched as the naga reached one unit of gnolls and ordered them to march to Maligor's tower. The Red Wizard checked with his guards to make certain the naga had sent word to the other gnoll units to gather in Amruthar.

It was late in the evening by the time the first group of gnolls reached Maligor's tower. The three hundred soldiers camped on the sculpted lawn and jeered at the growing number of guards along the walls of the city.