It was dark and yet oddly quiet inside the lab, where the blaring sirens from outside couldn't be heard. The room was messy as if Heron had always left it in a haste: stuffed animals and stray bottles were scattered around the abandoned work room floor. But Bradford's eyes were focused on the one main figure in the middle of the room and sealed inside the chamber, a blue blanket marked with his FOWL insignia covering her little body.

The large vulture ducked under the low door frame, lightly treaded towards her with a careful and outstretched arm, and placed a clawed hand gently on the glass so as to not startle her by his sudden appearance. The reflection back from the glass this time didn't show Bradford's childhood face in place of April's, but a face that showed worried, darkened eyes, a metal brow, a red-feathered helmet, a white-furred collar, and a large, steel chest plate. Even though the Sword took years off his physical form, the first look at himself since his transformation did not fail to frighten him. Never in all his years did he think he'd ever cut a striking figure, yet here he was.

It empowered him, and yet at the same time, it terrified him.

So, this is how the Sword judged me. After all these years of being seen as a weakling…this is how my true strength reveals itself. This is what I really look like inside. This is how I truly see myself.

But April…she'd never recognize me like this. She'll be too scared to even look at me.

Bradford ran the back of his sharpened hand sullenly down where April's cheek was under the glass. Please understand, my child… please understand I did this all for you...everything for you.

As Bradford looked to the controls to free her, April's eyes opened and glanced over him, causing a gasp to become stuck in his throat. Bradford did not expect her to wake so suddenly.

April looked his face over with those big eyes of hers, met his trepidatious gaze for a few moments, then she reached out to him towards the glass and giggled, happy to see her regular caretaker again.

Bradford inhaled in slight shock, but also in relief. "You-you're not afraid of me? You recognize me?" he helplessly asked, hearing his own voice choking with emotion.

There was a large noise behind him, then a sudden explosion came from the ceiling. Bradford's head turned up to the source of the noise- a water main had broke. Then he heard April shriek, and her eyes started to tear up. He'd almost forgotten what was going on during their pause in time.

"It's okay, it's okay," he started to say as he started to punch in the numbers into the pad to release her. "Everything's going to be okay now."

But the glow of the chamber had gone dark now, as well as the number pad. The power was knocked out. Bradford slammed a fist on the pad with a frustrated growl, smashing the keys in.

"Damn her," he viciously whispered.

Dark smoke from the explosion was starting to seep into the room, making Bradford cough. He quickly scanned April's glass chamber in concern as she started to cry in earnest. He tried to pry his claws under the glass to lift it off, but there was no opening for him to do so. The glass seemed to be sealed tight.

More explosions were heard off the distance. There was no way around this now. Bradford bit his lip and looked for the best way to do this, as far away from April's body as possible.

"Everything's going to be fine," he said with a waver in his voice, loudly enough for her to hear as he positioned himself opposite to where April's head was located in the chamber. "Just a little bit more and you'll be okay." He half-wondered if he was saying this more either to her or to himself.

He lifted a fist up high, eyed his target on the glass carefully, then brought his fist down with what he hoped was not enough force to break the entire bed. He smashed the wide panel apart, glass shattering everywhere, with most of it landing on April's body. He stopped his fist before it can hit anything else and quickly tried to wipe whatever glass he could off the loudly screaming child. He firmly held onto April, carefully scooped her out of the smashed hole, then held her as close as possible to his chest plate, both arms shielding her with his cufflinks. He took a few cautious steps away from the machine.

"I got you, I got you," he gasped out heavily, a clawed hand cradling April's head tightly to him, stroking her fruitlessly. Sweat came down his forehead, his eyes darted around the room in a panic, and his chest rose and fell rapidly. More noises started to erupt in the room as more gas began to release and whistle deafeningly through the pipes. Bradford winced at each noise he heard, his entire body trembling violently, and it felt as though the floor was rumbling underneath him.

Almost in a flash, unconsciously, the images of giant bees and volcano beasts started to fly around him, each monster lurking in each corner and roaring viciously as if they were there in that room. It was as if he was a little boy again, back in the clutches of ferocious creatures and villains, as if he were back with his grammy all over again. He could almost hear her shout excitedly from behind him: "Braddie, isn't this exciting, isn't it grand! Go on, boy, it isn't bad at all!"

But it was bad. It was always bad, and she never understood it. The pain and anger inside him returned in full force, shooting through his insides, clawing his stomach, squeezing his heart, making him freeze in place. He groaned under his breath, closed his eyes tight, and grimaced from the images in his mind. He was losing control. He didn't know what to do. He felt as though he was going to die right there and then.

A sharp, shrill cry cut through his memories, sending Bradford crashing back to reality. His eyes shot open and he gasped. April was now crying even louder than before, and the rumble of the ground and the ceiling started to become deafening.

Bradford looked upon the child, his child, glanced at the chaos around him, then looked at himself, at his own strength, at what he can do now, and remembered.

He will not allow events to repeat themselves. Not while he's still alive.

But even in this strong state, even here he felt so weak. Bradford held April close to him with one arm and felt her shake and whimper, her little hand holding onto his white fur for dear life. His other hand unconsciously went to the hilt of his Sword and held fast to it, trying to control his own shaking. He felt its power course through him, as much he felt April's trust and love in him. Even with these forces pulsating through him, pain and fear still ran through him fully.

He closed his eyes, and started to whisper to himself, Sword give me strength, sword give me strength, I call upon your strength.

There was a crash above, and he gnashed his chattering teeth in desperation.

I call upon your strength. I…I call upon my strength.

He felt the power fully course through him, and his eyes opened in a fury. Bradford turned, avoided the crumbling ceiling collapsing in on itself, and ran out the door.