Marvel Reborn: Gems Of Infinite Potential

Here we were in September of 2006; after six months of dedicated work on Natasha's part, six months of her flying around as an invisible little fly thanks to Banner finally making my idea for a meta material with a negative index of refraction into reality and thus allowing our suits to be invisible to the n.a.k.e.d eye. But finally, the stage was set. Elektra had split with the Chaste over Stick's orders. It had happened before and, in the normal course of events, it would happen again, as Elektra would do her own thing for a while, and then come back, only to repeat the process again and again.

But I intended to change that, it was time to gain my second Blade.

'Hmm, needed to work on a better name for that team before the public debut. Note to self: Ask those cleared for the project for suggestions.'

With that last irrelevant thought out of the way, I entered what I called "battle meditation," the result of my persistent attempts to teach myself to use Chi. In this state, I was hyper focused, emotions were set aside, and extraneous thoughts kept away.

A hand gesture and I was the size of an ant and invisible. I went Astral and winced, the Hand clearly had some mystical support as the Yakamoto Tower was warded against Astral travel and the Mirror Dimension. With the easy ways of getting an image for a portal or just walking in without effort blocked, it was time to fall back on science. My wings extended and I flapped my way across to the building's roof where I slipped into the HVAC system and made my way down to the penthouse, where Nobu Yoshioka currently resided.

I flew around the well-appointed suite, being careful to remain on the ceiling until I found the Hand leader sitting at his desk and going over papers. I drew my blade, accelerated my time frame tenfold, and was moving to take off his head even as I returned to full size. He diverted my strike, moving every bit as fast and having slapped my wrist slightly to the side while drawing his own blade with the other.

Without my battle meditation, I would have been stunned. Somehow he diverted my hand even though my vibranium armor should have absorbed the kinetic energy, but as it was, I simply adjusted to the new information.

Nobu was good, far better than me. Maybe even better than Natasha. Fortunately for me, he was at a disadvantage. When he went to directly block my sword with his own, mine sheared straight through and cut his body in half with it. A three-molecule-thick blade made of a carefully sculpted vibranium/adamantium lattice will cut through virtually anything without any resistance. The back-swing separated his head from his body before the two halves had even fully separated.

With my enemy dead, I took his head and put it on the sitting room's coffee table. His body was laid in front of it, and then I took my seat to wait.

Fifteen minutes later, my guest arrived as Elektra walked through the door. She had barely started to process the scene when the door shut behind her, and suddenly she found herself on her knees with a blade at her throat.

"Hello, Elektra, as you can see, your target is dead." I waved a hand at the bloody body parts. "But you've impressed me over the years we have had you under observation. Enough so that the woman holding her blade to your throat decided to sponsor you. Congratulations, the Black Widow doesn't impress easily."

With that last sentence, Natasha released her and walked over to stand beside me. Elektra got back to her feet, but her eyes widened in a combination of surprise, shock, and awe.

"Not interested," she said.

"Oh? You aren't interested with actually destroying the Hand? You aren't interested in having a leadership role in one of the world's most powerful organizations? You aren't interested in being equipped with the most bleeding-edge armor and weapons on the planet? You aren't interested in the opportunity to undergo the same process that made Captain America?" I said, laying out some of the benefits of joining.

"The Chaste already have my loyalty," she said, pacing back and forth slightly.

"You mean the Chaste that have been at war with the Hand for centuries without making any real progress? The same Chaste that took you in as a child, trained you, and then threw you out when you proved yourself too good? The same Chaste that keeps calling you back like a master to its abused pup, whenever they have a use for you and yet never lets you advance? The same Chaste that has you seduce another who was so very like you, and then calls you a failure because you allowed love and respect to exist in your heart?" I countered.

She went to hotly respond, but I raised a hand slightly and continued, "Join with us, and you will endure no limits, no hidden tests, no betrayal, and the absolute knowledge that you are helping to preserve and advance humanity. Every one of your fellow members is every bit as driven as you are, and every bit as exceptional in their fields of expertise as you are in yours. You will see and experience things that you never even dreamed possible. The question you need to face is a simple one: 'are you ready to throw off the shackles that bind your will?' Because if you are, then we welcome you with open arms. And if not, then we wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, but you will never, from this day henceforth, work with us."

"Why do I feel like this would be striking a deal with the devil?" the assassin said in nonanswer.

"Because in many ways, it is. If you take my offer, then I will use you to advance my own goals. Just like I expect you to use me to advance your own goals. Every fair relationship is one of give and take, of mutual respect. That is what we offer. Obey the very few rules that we have, and we will always have your back, just like we expect that you will do the same for any other member." I said, again making the assumption that recruiting people with lies was a really bad way to build long lasting loyalty from people who were only really useful if I trusted them at my back with massive amounts of power under their control.

Elektra was silent for a moment before she said, "And what are these rules?"

I stood and said, "Follow me and find out," as I opened a portal to one of my isolated meeting facilities and tossed Nobu's head and body first before walking through. Natasha followed at my side.

The camera on the back of my helmet let me keep track of Elektra without appearing to do so. She was still standing there, immobile, though. I sighed slightly and sent to Natasha over our comms, "Looks like she won't be joining us. Pity."

She sent back, "Give her another few seconds, I think she will surprise you. She really is chafing with the Chaste and doesn't consciously understand why. I told you what buttons to press for a reason, Octavian."

Just as I was about to respond, Elektra proved Natashas read superior to my own and started walking forward.

Once she was through, I cut off the portal and waved at the chairs set off to the side, even as I retracted my helmet and Natasha did the same. "Welcome, Elektra, care for a drink?"

"First, I would like to hear these rules," she said, moving to take a seat.

"Fair enough, but to get introductions out of the way, I am Octavian Raith."

Natasha said, "And I am Natasha Romanoff or Black Widow in the underworld."

"What, you get bored being a billionaire, Raith? Decide to come play in the dirty underbelly of the world?" Elektra asked.

"Says the woman whose own adopted family is worth hundreds of millions. How's being the heiress to a Greek shipping magnate working for you? But you asked about the rules. Do not attempt to destroy the world. Do not attempt to wipe out humanity. Do not attempt to enslave humanity or otherwise deny it freedom of choice. Do not betray any of the group's secrets to anyone. Do not knowingly act against anyone else in the group. Help other members of the group as and when you are able. Have a problem with any of those?" I asked.

She blinked. "That's all? Three of your rules amount to don't end the world? What made you make something so fundamental a rule?"

"Because those are the entire purpose of our Covenant, Elektra. I formed this organization to ensure the survival and freedom of humanity from all threats, foreign or domestic, and to break every limit on human advancement. So are you in, or are you out? Be warned though, that once you take our oaths, there is no going back. Up until you take the oaths though, you can leave at any time." I sipped the drink that appeared in my hand. God, I loved abusing Pym Particles as the ultimate utility belt.

She poured herself a glass of whiskey from the bottle on the table before saying, "I'm in."

I rose, created a portal, and said, "Then let's get to it, indoc awaits."

Once she followed me into the room, I closed the portal and waited a few seconds. "You will take no violent or forceful actions. You will stand still. You will not utter anything that you know to be false. You will answer any question you are asked fully, completely, and in the manner you think it is intended without attempting to dissemble, obfuscate, mislead, or otherwise conceal information that you believe we want. You will say when you believe that we have formed a false or misleading impression of any statement of yours.

"Are you Elektra, one time apprentice of the Chaste member known as Stick, adopted daughter of Hugo Kostas Natchios and Christina Natchios?"

"Yes," was her mechanical response.

"Are you now or have you ever been affiliated with or a member of HYDRA, the Hand, the Ten Rings, SHIELD, or the intelligence agencies of any nation or private group besides the Chaste?"

"Yes, I've operated as a freelance assassin upon occasion for Mossad, MI-6, and the CIA and have purchased the services of several private intelligence companies in the past."

"Are you attempting to join the Covenant under false pretenses or on the behalf of any individual, group, or entity except yourself in your own person and of your own free will?"

"No."

"Would you willingly sacrifice your life to ensure the survival and freedom of humanity?"

"Yes."

"Would you willingly kill without hesitation to ensure the survival and freedom of humanity?"

"Yes."

"Is there anything you would not sacrifice or any action that you would not take if you believed it necessary to ensure the survival and freedom of humanity?"

"No."

"Are you willing to swear binding oaths without mental or moral reservation to obey the rules of the Covenant as you have been told them?"

"Yes."

"Inject yourself in the arm with the syringe on the table," I ordered, and she obeyed mechanically.

Less than a minute later she shook her head and drew her sai knives as she snarled, "What was that?"

"That was the first half of a binary virus that enforces obedience to anyone marked with the other half of the virus that fills the air in this chamber. And the vial I had you inject was the vaccine against that virus. It's good for two weeks. And now that you have passed the final round of indoc screening, it's time for you to read the contract and take your oaths. Unless you are so affronted at our security measures that you want to back out?" I challenged.

She shook her head and put away her knives. "No, I'm in. I'm actually surprised that you weren't more invasive."

A wave of the hand opened a portal to a circular room with a circular table in its exact center and a single cubby vestibule with a vibranium tablet standing within it. I indicated the tablet with a gesture and said, "Feel free to read what you will be swearing to while I gather the others. I'm sure Natasha will be happy to answer any of your questions."

Within ten minutes, I had gathered Bruce, Maya, Betty, and the Ancient One. Once we were all assembled, I said, "Last chance to back out Elektra, because when I say that our oaths are binding, I mean just that. You literally will not be able to break them, and even if you manage that in some way, you will die immediately and painfully."

She barely hesitated before saying, "I'm in."

I glanced around at everyone else and said: "Any objections to Elektra becoming Covenant?"

A moment later, I said, "So be it. Bruce, if you would."

He nodded and grimaced slightly before Hulking out. Elektra jumped back, but Natasha laid a hand on her wrist and shook her head, while I drew out my sword and passed it to the Hulk. Betty took the bowl from in front of the tablet and set it on the table. The Hulk sliced his hand and let his blood, glowing green, fall into the bowl, before the cut healed, and he returned to being Banner a moment later.

Natasha drew a knife and passed it to Elektra, saying, "Slice your hand and add your blood to the bowl."

She didn't hesitate but her eyes went very wide when the cut on her hand closed up moments later, a side effect of the Vita Rays that constantly bombarded this chamber.

Betty took the vibranium pen from its place at the base of the tablet and filled its ink well with the mixed blood in the bowl. Once it was done, she passed the pen to Elektra.

"Last chance to back out, but if you are willing to join, then go sign your name to the Covenant," I said, gesturing to the tablet.

The hesitation was gone as she walked over, read through the tablet's words once more, and then signed. The pen sinking into the tablet as if it was a hot knife through wax and leaving green lettering streaked through with red in its wake. When she was done, the tablet was perfectly smooth, except now it contained one more name.

It was done, she was in. I had been working on this with the help of the Ancient One almost since I had found out that Banner was an elder god. The tablet was pure vibranium laced with enchantments and with blood constantly flowing throughout it, and the pen was likewise enchanted vibranium. Both created with the willing assistance of an elder god. The Ancient One, Alkasha as I had found out when she signed her own name, had used the full power of the Eye in its creation as well, making the oath binding from the beginning to the end of time.

With the ceremony out of the way, I said, "Welcome to the Covenant, Elektra."