Martha placed Catherine gently in the small crib. The baby's breathing was calm and steady.
Then the crib was empty.
"Thomas!" Martha called out, her voice tight with worry.
Thomas looked up fast. Catherine floated near the ceiling, her tiny arms moving like she was swimming in air.
"She's flying," Thomas whispered, his eyes wide. "Martha, our daughter is flying."
Martha stepped back, shocked. "How is that possible? She's only days old."
Thomas reached for his communication device. "Master Rowan, please come. You need to see Catherine immediately."
Black mist swirled into the room. Rowan appeared, his eyes going straight to the floating baby.
"Interesting," Rowan said calmly. He raised his hand slightly, and Catherine drifted down into his arms.
Thomas looked nervous. "Master, is this normal for our kind?"
"No," Rowan replied, studying the baby's face. "This is beyond what I expected. She carries abilities from three different sources."
He handed Catherine back to Martha carefully. "She will be the princess of our clan. Take care of her."
Martha held her daughter close. "I will protect her with my life, Master."
"Good," Rowan said. "Hide her abilities from the world. Train her when she's older. She must learn control."
Thomas nodded firmly. "What about the organization you mentioned? The one to track others like her?"
"We start immediately," Rowan answered. "Catherine proves that new bloodlines are emerging. We need to find them before anyone else does."
Rowan stood quietly for a moment, his thoughts turning inward.
Bruce will become my apostle, he thought to himself. Through him, I will reach godhood. The boy carries destiny, but he doesn't know it yet. When the time comes, he will serve my vision.
His planning was interrupted by a sudden shift in his vision.
Images flashed in his mind. Stormy ocean waves. A woman with golden hair and a scaled tail washing up on rocky shores.
A man pulled her from the water, holding her against the storm.
The woman's eyes were not human. They held the depth of the sea itself.
Rowan's pupils narrowed. One name echoed in his thoughts: Aquaman.
"Master?" Thomas asked, noticing Rowan's stillness.
Rowan blinked, returning to the present. "I saw something. The ocean is calling. Another bloodline is beginning."
Martha looked curious. "What kind of bloodline?"
"One that controls the seas," Rowan said simply. "But that is for later. First, we build our network here."
He turned toward the door. "Begin searching for others with unusual abilities. Start with Gotham, then expand outward. Report everything to me."
Thomas straightened. "Yes, Master. How will we recognize them?"
"You will know," Rowan replied. "Power calls to power. Trust your instincts."
As he prepared to leave, Rowan looked back at Catherine one more time.
The future was taking shape exactly as he needed it to.