Disclaimer-I do not own Naruto or Warcraft, or any other game or manga, which I used while writing this...unfortunately.

Note: found a good cover image for my fic, all rights reserved.

Dread Lord.

Chapter I.

Forest of Death. Unknown time.

He laid on something metallic, feeling how blood slowly poured out of the giant wound on his back. He held the Scroll of Forbidden Techniques tightly to his chest. His name was Naruto Uzumaki and he was poisoned and dying.

When Mizuki asked him to steal the scroll he thought that it was some special test. Naivety. His greatest weakness. And now he found himself in such situation with large wound on his back, coated in special poison, so h will not be able to regenerate.

Naruto growled, he never wanted to die… at least like this. Unknown to him, cold metal he was lying on was part of the armor. Symbiotic Nathrezim's armor. And said armor needed to somehow return to life it's mummified owner. Metal wave covered Naruto pouring him inside.

Unfortunately, spark of life that remained in the body of the demon, which was bound to this plane of existence with special seal, so he couldn't leave and reform in Twisted Neither, was too weak tofight the young and powerful soul of Naruto.

So instead they merged. Wave of information invaded Naruto's mind. Memories of the demon called Malkariss, were now in his disposal, he wasn't Uzumaki Naruto anymore, but he wasn't Malkariss also.

Naruto-Malkariss rose to his feet. He was now at additional height of Nathrezim, but his body was more thin and slender. He was built more like a silent assassin, than a brawler, like his other brothers. His hands now had four fingers with large claw on each, behind his back were large black wings. Naruto came to the nearby river.

His face remained the same, but whisker marks became wider and blacker, his eyes now red, glowed with unholy flame. Two large horns grew from his head; his hair was still on his head and was still blond, but his ears were pointed and long.

He was now clad in the Nathrezim armor and his legs ended with hooves. He looked like real demon. And power coursed through his veins. Naruto smiled to his reflection in water, showing two rows of needle-sharp teeth.

He liked this.

Somewhere inside his cage, Kurama gulped and made a thankful prayer to Death God, whose powers created this cage and prevented him from being absorbed and fused into that… creature, that stood near the river.

Naruto looked to his right, somebody tried to get through the bushes.

"Where is that brat, I swear, when I will find him…" Mizuki stopped blabbering when his face bumped into something metallic.

Two large clawed hands grabbed his head. He looked up and saw smiling demonic face of Naruto. That was the last thing he saw in his life before the claws on his big fingers pierced his eyes and brain. Naruto turned to the scroll and took it. He placed it inside his pocket dimension.

Suddenly he felt that something was wrong. Magic circle burned under his hooves. With loud scream he disappeared from his world.

Twisted Niether. Unknown location and time.

Naruto fell to his knees. Strange visions overwhelmed his mind, Visions of a great and terrifying future, visions of the world, which wasn't his own.

"Malkariss?" familiar voice spoke above him. "What had happened to you?"

"Brother… Mephistroth?" asked Naruto, using memories of Malkariss. "Brother… I was ambushed and defeated. My essence was bound to the plane of mortal existence, to cease to exist. That was the plan of my enemies. Fortunately I managed to absorb the life energy of a mortal. Unfortunately it changed my appearance…"

Mephistroth nodded. "Good anyway after some checking we will once again place you on the field. If current campaign will go as planned I will give you a promotion and send you into our diplomatic corpus. You will be a blessing for them."

Naruto nodded and stood up.

"What now, brother?"

"Prepare yourself. I will send you to the Tichondrius forces. I cannot just leave activities of our brother without any kind of overseeing. I will send you to be my official scarecrow."

"Why do I think, that you see me now, after my appearance changed as defective and sends me to the nest of snakes?"

Mephistroth smiled. "You know it. Brother. That's how we always live."

Sometime Later.

Meeting with Tichondrius and others went rather… strange.

Tichondrius, in life even more imposing than from memories of Makariss, stood in his full impressive height, towering over Mephistroth and Naruto. His ornamented armor somehow glowed with red menacing light. Unlike the armor of Mephistroth, which spread some kind of chill and glowed in dark blue color.

They all looked into one direction, like his brothers Naruto felt the movement of arcane energies. Soon in the direction the looked a purple portal opened and another dread lord came out of it. The armor of this one was different to, glowed with sickly yellow. Counting Naruto's, dark purple, glow, they looked like a bunch of demonic DJs, who prepared to some party in Hell.

Naruto looked at newcomer and demonic memory gave him an information. Anetheron, his another 'brother', his powers are second only to Tichondrius himself. Smart, sly, power hungry, all in all an exemplary Nathrezim.

"Well Tichondrius …" started Anetheron. "How is campaign goes? Lord Archimonde wishes to hear our report." one more thing unlike Tichindrius, Anetheron spent more time in the court of Eredar Brothers.

"Young knight has served us well. Too well perhaps." responded their mighty brother. "I will not be surprised if Ner'Zhul has some special plans for him."

"That human is as feeble as others of his race." instantly exploded Mephistroth." Ner'Zhul will not dare to mess with our plans. And if he will try something we will remind him, who holds the leash."

"Scourge must fulfill the destiny created for it by Burning Legion. Or Lord Archimonde will have our heads!"

Mephistroth sighed. Fears of Anetheron resurfaced when he was placed as adjutant for Lord Archimond. It didn't work well for him though. His once mighty brother became a complete nervous wreck.

"Trust me brother, nor Lich King, nor his followers will not stop the Burning Legion." said Tichondrius. Naruto smiled behind the Mephistroths's back. Judging by the visions he had when he came to this world, most of the Nathrezim will kick the bucket very soon. And that girl… Sylvanes will happily slay all the rest.

"I too do not trust the Scourge…" that was what Naruto said. Three blazin gazes turned in his direction. "But right now the situation is under control.

"Then look over it. It must stay this way." bitched Anetheron. By the way, brother Malkariss, we nearly didn't recognize you… What happened to you?"

"My appearance is just a matter of time, brother. Trust me my powers remained the same." said Malkariss, in whose voice can be heard the dangerous intonations.

Anetheron backed. Malkariss maybe held in low ranks, because of lack of the qualities natural to most Nathrezim. But his monstrous power was notorious. Even Tichondrius will think twice before stepping on his toes.

Not that Malkariss was unskilled. No. He lacked the other thing that drove most of the Nathrezim. Ambition. Well when you do next to nothing expect kick ass, drink and fuck some random, pretty succubus and get paid for it. You tend to be a little ambitionless.

"Okay, okay, brother… Don't be angry. And if you decided to get in this talk, you what, want to tag in with brother Tichondrius on frontlines?" asked Anetheron.

"I will tell you even more. Brother Mephistroth sends me to Azeroth, as his representative in the camp of brother Tichondrius."

"Ah! You are our resident scui…" Anetheron shut up seeing the dangerous glint in the eyes of the Naruto.

Without a word he and Mephistroth, teleported away.

"Want to be on their place?" asked his higher 'brother' nodding at the disappearing arks of portals, seeing how uncomfortable Naruto looked.

"No. I don't want to get into the trap of enemy's forces when I will be one of the commanders of the unstoppable army. After all it is a greatest shame for a Nathrezim. To fell, because of his ally's intrigues."

"You question my abilities?" asked the higher Nathrezim.

"No… I know full well the abilities of Lord Kil'Jeden."

"Elaborate…"

"Ner'Zhul is his greatest creation. Who knows what it can do? It's potential is unknown. Nobody has created something like Lich King before."

"Flatter and liar." concluded the Lord of Nathrezim.

"It's an honor to hear something like that from you." bowed Naruto.

"Good. But here we are at war. You will be forced to do something of value for our campaign… If you wish to gain trust and high position." said Tichondrius.

"I serve the Legion."

"But of course… You will."

Sometime later. Lordaeron.

"And in conclusion to all I said before, I want to say next..." several days later Malkariss-Naruto, was on the burned black mountain, before the line of his brothers. "I do not trust the Lich King, I do not trust Arthas. And locals are a bunch of problematic weirdos."

"Are you sacred, Brother?" raised his brow Balnazar.

"Think again and then ask me this question, brother."

"I give my judgment by your actions."

NAruto sighed, begging the great Sargerass to gave him powers and patience to put some understanding of the situation in heads of his brothers. "Okay let's walk over what I said once again."

"With hooves." joked Varimathras.

"I would prefer logic." answered Naruto. Malkariss slowly united with him, so he stopped reacting to the jokes of Nathrezim. It was normal among them. Power of the Lord Sargerass made them unable to hurt each other, so in such conditions they needed some sort of… relief.

"So let's start from the turning of Arthas. It nearly cost our brother his life and cost his career. He was used as pawn, by Ner'Zhul and location of his soul is unknown. Then Arthas, a tactical genius, who managed with smaller forces deal with Mal'Ganis and his army, attacks without any kind of tactic or plan, overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers. Scourge's losses are countless. Even Legion can't use such tactics for long."

His long tail started to beat on the earth showing his anticipation and rage. "And before that Arthas turned an entire country into the kingdom of undead. From my point of view there is only one reason for him to do it: he understands that this army will not be his own. He plans to betray us."

"What do you propose, brother?" asked him Tichondrius.

"The only way for us to stop this army from rebelling is to control it ourselves. We need to command the Scourge." stated Malkariss.

"Lead into the battle these… abominations? Brother, are you in right state of mind? It' below us!" screamed his brothers.

Nathrezims didn't want to hear, what Naruto was saying, he gave them the glimpse of their future, and they still continued to follow the self-destructive path.

After the meld with Malkariss, Naruto get some of his mindset, so as one of the Nathrezim he saw the side of the Burning Legion as his own. But the pride of the Nathrezim didn't let them see that they all were pawns in the game of Lich King.

Pride, for 'grey cardinals' of the demonic army was most dangerous enemy.

"Wait." raised his clawed hand Tichondrius. "Our brother has his right to speak… So he will lead one of the expeditionary corps, situated near the border of the Quel'Thalas. Also you will look over Arthas' progress. Congratulations. General." his voice was filled with sarcasm.

Malkariss sighed. Looks like his brothers were beyond salvation. So it was time to save himself.

Behind main forces of the Scourge. Camp of Malkariss.

Malkariss looked around and sneered in disgust. No, Tichondrus gave him really good army. But his main forces – ghouls weren't as strong or long lived as he wished his regular troops to be.

Malkariss scratched the stone with his large claws. He was forced to say that the acolytes worked really well, building this citadel. But he needed more.

Technically for a wayward demon it was enough. But ambitious part of the creature, that was once Malkariss, the one that was Naruto Uzumaki, wished to be the king. That part wished to rule, wished to be adored by his subjects.

And with the knowledge of possible future, demonic mind and generator of mad ideas that was his human imagination, Naruto-Malkariss managed to create the plan. He will built the empire if his own. He will rule over it. And no one, not even Sargerass himself, shall stop him.

But first things first. He needed the army. Large, powerful and loyal only to him.

He had nothing of these.

Well, on first sight, Scourge had no problem with numbers. But unfortunately Scourge was ruled by Lich King and by lesser extent his wayward brethren. Why Malkariss was hated so much, it wasn't just him being from another fraction than his other brethren, with whom he now worked.

Words of their master, Sargerass, were rules and laws for Nathrezim. They cannot raise their hand against each other. But every rule has an exception, every law has some sort of loop.

And it was Malkariss, due to some unknown defect, he could raise his hand against his brothers, of course for such interesting and useful ability, in Nathrezim society, he paid psychologically, unlike his other brethren he had absolutely no ambitions.

And there was a reason to it. As such dangerous, but also powerful weapon he was kept in golden cage, making killing him - too troublesome and using him - too dangerous. In eyes of other Nathrezim he received everything without moving even a finger. That enraged them to no end…. But there was also another reason.

It is vaguely unknown are there female Nathrezim or they just have sex with any kind of female species and each boy born from such kind of union is Nathrezim. Whatever the truth was, Nathrezim were still males and still had male pride. And Malkariss with his fucking existence alone damaged it to no extent.

Usually Nathrezim use their power and fame to get the female demons, usually all they got were some kind of cheap succubae, prepared to sell themselves to rise over their miserable position in life. However Malkariss… had no problem like this.

In time of his tutoring, even before he was christened as full-fledged Nathrezim, he slept with any kind of female demon, starting from low-class and ending with those of highest caliber. Back in those times, Malkariss wasn't so deferent in terms of physical appearance from the other Nathrezim. Many were even bigger and larger than him and seemed stronger too.

But whatever his brethren did, girls always sooner or later came to Malkariss. Either he somehow got some form of natural allure, or… What was this 'or' even his brothers didn't know.

But fact was fact. Malkariss had a lot of women and none of them left unsatisfied with their meeting. What was really strange, even if he had several relationships at once , or left the girls later, none of them bore any sort of ill will against him.

There was something of a gentleman inside the Malkariss. He had style and manners, something his brothers usually forget to use, when they speak with other species, to sure in superiority of their own.

Position of Malkariss was also problematic, because of the faction he supported. There were several faction actually. Most popular were assimilation and annihilation ones. Assimilation was for taking the new species and making them part of the legion. Like it happened with eredars, like they tried with elves and like they started but failed with orcs.

What annihilation fraction stood for didn't need to be described.

All of the current Nethrezim, who worked with Malkariss were either supporters of annihilation faction or neutral in this question, like Tichondrius.

But let us return to current problems, he had a mass of loyal undead, unfortunately loyal not to him. Before him also stood the problem of hunger. Army needed its food even the army of the living dead. Acolytes needed to feed, necromancers and to a lesser extent ghouls and abominations.

Acolytes and necromancers slowly started to pray for health of Malkariss and praise his wisdom. Before they couldn't even eat, because of lack of food and there was also very high chance to end their career as food for the undead part of the army.

Arthas was known for his… radical decisions.

Of course the army rations weren't really great. But they were. And they were constant. This new servitude started to sound really good for the necromancers suddenly. At least under lord Malkariss they were safe. Meanwhile said lord raised his own army working as ordinary necromancer.

After all, how else he can solve the loyalty problem. But still the problem with food remained. Of course like Arthas he can solve it radically. Kill all locals and use their dead bodies as either new recruits or food for his army. But Malkariss-Naruto wished for his own empire.

So he needed loyal subjects. Which meant, that killing locals was a big no – no. There was also a problem with discipline. No, ghouls obeyed him completely, but it took a lot of time to put what he wanted from them into simple commands and, with help of acolytes, place them in ghouls' heads.

Naruto grit his teeth and continued his work. So after all said his personal and most trusted army was consisted of several dozens of ghouls nearly same amount of skeleton warriors and dozen of gargoyles. And of course nearly two hundred of shades, into whom he turned all the acolytes. After they built the camp. Of course.

After that, bodies for the experiments ran out. Of course, Malkariss could easily get all what he needed, but to create really big and loyal army he will need necromancers, loyal only to him, who will raise said army, generals, who will take care of the preparations of all sorts., different kinds of economists, who will take care of their resources and a lot of others.

What was even worse all that he needed was right under his nose.

The High Elves.

From his visions he knew that after destruction of the Sunwell, they will receive a nasty thirst for magic. Then survivors, under the leadership of Kael will side with demons, because of the policy within the Alliance, to feed on their energy.

But right now the Sunwell still exists, Quel'Thalas is still holding the line and hopes that help will come from south or their powerful magic will turn the coming hordes into the dust. Kael is in Dalaran, Sylvanas turn the reserves of the incoming enemy into the dust. Malkariss knew that he, with his so-called 'army will not do any good there, but sooner or later, personally Dread Lord betted on sooner, Scourge will pass First and Second gates and then will take the Quel'Thalas. Then and only then he will try to take what is his. All those elves will be part of his empire.

Naruto can't even hold the excitement.

But when the time will come he needed the best, the largest and loyal only to him army, or all those elves will just swap through his fin… er… claws. And what is the most needed without the army he will not be able to hide them from the greedy eyes of Tichondrius and Arthas.

And there was only one place where he could get something like this.

Zul'Aman.

Ten days later Nathrezim looked, how ghouls dealt with the forest around the camp, for kilometers around the citadel there was nothing but the clear field filled with the leftovers of the trees. Naruto smiled, no kind of an enemy will launch the surprise attack on his camp now.

"Lord Malkariss." He turned to see the necromancer. "It's time for gathering."

Nathrezim, followed by necromancer went to their improvised training field. Ghouls, skeletons, gargoyles, shadows and necromancers stayed in lines before him. Main plus of the mentally indoctrinated servants is that they follow you every command, even not sounded ones.

Meanwhile, ghouls placed the lumber near the warehouse and went to the field. So five hundred ghouls, several hundred of skeletons and fifty gargoyles alongside the twenty necromancers stood on the field. All this clicking with teeth, scratching the earth with claws looked in his direction with nearly fanatical loyalty.

Discipline in these lines was instantly destroyed by ghouls, but he didn't try to fix this. Their reflexes was what moved them. And fixing something like this will just make them useless. Suffice to say, ghouls were rather interesting units in his army of undead. First of all they needed to feed.

Then, the rituals of their creation was different, than the rising of simple undead. If when you rise undead it retains the memories and skills of it's past life, retaining their physical appearance, according to a decree of rot and other factors. Than ghouls transform on physical and psychic levels.

And if now, while the war raged on, there was a reason for their existence, but later the problem with food will be really dangerous one. Something like this cannot be said about the skeletons, which needed only regular checking from necromancers. And even that can be fixed by special ritual.

"Start the training for wall siege!" ordered the Nathrezim.

Even if command was really idiotic, every member knew its place, mass of undead warriors stormed the false walls and did everything according to his orders. Looking how ghouls created a siege stairway, right from their bodies, for other soldiers, he smiled. Maybe he will take the Zul'Aman.

"Work according to the seventh scheme." ordered Naruto looking as his army slowly moved in direction of Zul'Aman. He knew how slow it was yet he hoped that his army will manage to get to the fortress as he planned, or ideal time for the siege will be lost.

Suffice to say he did everything in his powers to assure trolls that they are just another squad sent to this lands to later attack the Elves' capital and officially it was like that. Unfortunately his army wasn't really good in walking through the forests, and maintaining the secrecy alongside the destruction of the troll patrols also slowed them down.

They got to Zul'Aman later than he predicted, but they still had time and all privileges of sudden attack. So Malkariss ordered his warriors to start the siege. Of course the 'fortress' of trolls was rather… lacking, but the entrances and the gates were always fixed and heavily guarded.

With his army taking something like this without preparation was dangerous. Malkariss raised his hand ordering his warriors to cover their legs in cloths, so bare bones will not click on stones and notify the defenders beforehand.

IF somebody of his brethren saw, how great Malkariss crawled in grass trying to get closer to the enemy's watchers, his chances to build career in the Legion will instantly disappear. After all, all Nathrezims were either in the courts of brothers-eredars, or guarded the Lich King. Well all these idiots will die… sooner or later, so Malkariss didn't care.

One by one, casting on them the powerful sleeping spells, Malkariss dealt with the watchers on six walls. Suffice to say, in the days of former glory, Zul'Aman was constantly rebuilt and expanded. Trolls needed new fortifications, that's why the city was divided into seven sectors.

By the way, the only time he got a serious resistance was on the seventh gate, because the walls were in really bad condition, watchers looked over the entrance, all together, so Naruto attacked with Rotting Swarm, instantly destroying them.

Giving his army and order to continue their move and leaving several undead with captives they continued with original plan of conquer of the Zul'Aman.

It was nearly five o'clock in the morning when the army of the dead reached the large building, that was used as Home of the Chieftain. All careful planning was destroyed by a simple need of one troll, who decided to get to toilet.

They were discovered, but there were too many undead inside the fortress. Unfortunately it was forced to deal with wakening up trolls, instead of getting them sleeping in their beds. Most of the two armies will die this night and taking in count that one army was undead, they may even do it several times in a raw.

Commanding all squads of the undead was impossible and truth to be told meaningless. Even the mind of Nathrezim was incapable of such a feat. So he just ordered to attack the center of the town, while Naruto himself got inside the building.

What kind of clothes need a barbarian, when a settlement is under attack? Spear. So from different rooms of the building his pas was crossed by a mass of trolls in loincloths (or even naked ones), with spears in hands. He was forced to shorten his claws, or his hit will be a certain death for naked trolls. Back bitchslap from the nathrezim was also very painful for warriors of Amani tribe.

Fortunately high and muscular trolls could survive something like this, even if they weren't as durable as ogres. Naruto always wondered, how such high and massive creatures can so easily hide in the forest. So easily that they were worthy concurrent of the elves.

After half of an hour of constant running around and bitchslapping the trolls, he fanally met the one, who he needed to deal with. Old, troll with one arm. Zul'Jin.

Chieftan didn't spent any time on talks, he jumped forward and attacked with a blade in his right hand. Black claws parried his blade. Their fight continued for two minutes, mostly because Naruto didn't want to kill him. Old troll was impressive warrior, but Malkariss experience and fighting skills, alongside all the tricks he learned from the Forbidden Scroll, gave him and upper hand in their fight.

He defeated him through simple means. Using the fact that he had more appendages than troll chieftan.

When bone spike on the tail pierced his knee Zul'Jin roared in pain. Barely keeping his balance, Zul'Jin jumped backwards. That gave Naruto time to cast the sleeping spell. He needed Zul'Jin alive for his plans.

Zul'Jin managed to break it easily. But the second given by it was enough for Naruto to knock him off. He bound him with magical binds and casted several sleeping spells on him. Meanwhile he jumped out of the window, but before ordered sever shadows to look over their captive.

Meanwhile Zul'Aman was destroyed by combined actions of undead and trolls. Ghouls were known for their 'love' to trees and wooden constructions and trolls fought for their lives and afterlives. Nathrezim jumped into the battle, to the place where he was mostly needed.

To the stone building, which resembled the temple, where high white haired troll led shamans against the forces of the necromancers. Malakrass the Master of curses. Second candidate for later undeath.

Of course Malkariss needed to deal with dissidents in his army, but that troll worked really good. So while they didn't notice him, he summoned the fire golem, or as it is also called, Infernal. Naruto clapped his wings rising into the air evading the shockwave from the Infernal's landing.

Trolls noticed him, and even threw spears in his direction. Malakrass looked in his direction, opened his mouth, showing his impressive fangs and instantly destroyed several necromancers with some curse and moments later behind him landed Infernal, destroying several troll huts.

Everything alive and undead instantly turned into ash around him. Malkariss managed to rise his undead but Malakrass wasn't so lucky, he and his shamans sustained a heavy damage. Groaning from pain they tried to rise, but Malkariss' spells said otherwise.

Zul'Jin returned to his senses strapped to the table, in spell chambers of his shaman Malakrass. He instantly tried to break free but all his efforts were in vain.

"Please don't struggle, my friend, it will not do you any good." said Naruto to Zul'Jin.

"CURSE YOU DEMON! If you will turn me into one of those filthy undead, I swear I will find a way to kill you! I will gut you, torture you…"

Silencing spell of Malkariss easily stopped the cursing tirade of former chieftan.

"As you can see, I answer your questions even if I'm not obliged to do so." Said Naruto looking how Zul'Jin tried to once again destroy the shackles, he was like a banned forum troll… really hilarious from Naruto's point of view.

Malkariss sighed and continued his monologue.

"I plan to turn you into my general, Zul'Jin. Your tactical talents makes you the best choice. But your biography shows that you has a nasty habit of betraying your allies, that's why the mighty Zul'Jin must leave and his place will take someone else… someone completely loyal to me."

"Ve… Ve…"

'When will the ritual start?" instantly understood the Dread Lord. "Actually it's nearly finished. Right now we are on the third and last step of this really complex ritual, which I created through the fusing of traditional necromancy and dark spell of your shamans. Ironic isn't it, all that we needed to create nearly the same force as the Scourge is, was just to study the trolls' magic, we on the other side, did a tone of unneeded shit, with the same result. Seriously what you shamans do, they do better than the spirit of some undead orc."

"But why?"

"Oh thus you will not be able to stop me, see the difference between the cases like rising a good-for-nothing ghoul by third rate acolyte and creation of the General of the Dark Army, by Dread Lord? It's the same, turning the prideful and unbroken troll warchief into general will be better than turning a broken husk of said warrior into general. Now, bye-bye Zul'Jin…"

Body of old troll glowed from unholy energies, which started to turn him onto something bigger, better, more powerful and loyal only to one certain Dread Lord.

"… and greetings to you, Sharak'Jin!"

AN: Finally, I have returned!