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Just then, it held its palm out to me. I reacted without thinking, lifting my leg away just as a strange, small portal opened up at my feet and then closed back up.

"What the hell was that?" I asked in confusion.

"A dimensional rip." The other two calmly floated up to return to the first's side. "You are a worthy foe. Indeed, we have never had to use our power aggressively. Practical usage of our strength is as new to us as it is to you. However, be aware that you may be fast, but not fast enough. We will continue to create dimensional rips of any size we wish. Once caught in them, your body will be trapped, consumed, and then cease to exist."

Needless to say, I didn't really like the sound of that idea.

"Or you could just back off and let me get back to my normal life. I don't need to use my time-stopping power any longer."

"The risk is simply too great."

"Then catch me if you can," I replied before making myself invisible. The three seemed to be caught off-guard, slowly turning their heads in various directions. I circled around them, sneaking up behind and quickly landing a punch on the backs of each of their heads. It sent all of them all flying a good distance away, where they crashed into a building with no damage caused to the time-frozen structure, only damaging their egos. They quickly rebounded, however. Their bodies ascended airborne in unison, quickly returning to where they last were.

"This game is only a temporary delay," they said before I saw glowing pairs of yellow eyes beyond their hoods. As I began to cycle around behind them again, I watched them staring directly at me. When I stopped, they stopped.

"Oh, damn," I said before evading a three-peat of dimensional rips near my legs and arm. I boldly went in for another attack, but they were ready.

As I swung for the fences at their faces, they teleported behind me. They used the split second of recoil from my attack and grabbed my arms from behind. Then, the third one sent their dimensional rip right into my back.

I gasped in terror as it began to slowly envelop me. I looked down in horror, watching my body starting to fizzle out into nothing. I couldn't be done yet! Our fight wasn't supposed to be this quick! I couldn't lose, the good guy's not supposed to lose!

So this was it? This was how I was going to die? To some stupid, robed skeleton men and their stupid rips in the dimensions?! How did I even let it get this far? Tears began to pour from my eyes as I grit my teeth. It was surprisingly pleasant being faded away into nothingness. It didn't hurt at all, it was like all feeling in my body was being erased. Even still, my life was flashing before my eyes. So many wonderful memories - from childhood, making friends and playing outside. Riding my first bike and getting into all sorts of trouble. I had caused so many problems and made enemies I didn't even mean to. I'm so sorry for all of it. I tried my best to make up for it, but in the end ... it wasn't enough. All of my friends' faces appeared before me. What will they say? What will they do when I just stop showing up for school? When I'm not at home and nowhere to be found? Why did it have to end this way?

I didn't want to die.

I clenched my eyes and my teeth as I felt the nothingness of the dimensional rip consume all the way down to my toes. I panted fearfully while it slowly absorbed up my neck. I imagined I was going underwater, and that I had to hold my breath as long as I could.

But then, as it touched my chin, I heard them speak.

"No. We have made a mistake."

I gasped, my eyes shooting open. I looked down, finding my body completely intact. I touched my chest and my face in disbelief. I wasn't dead? I wasn't eaten away into nothing? Well, hot damn, I was in one complete piece again! But I didn't have any time to enjoy it when I turned around and saw them staring at me. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes, letting my pounding heart calm down.

"We will spare your life, young mortal," they calmly said.

"Why?" I just had to ask.

"You must understand, we are infallible. We have kept time flowing perfectly since its inception. However, we have never dealt with humans personally. We have never interfered with life and death. We realize that we cannot do that now." I stared at them in amazement.

"What's more, young Anthony, your powers are shall we say, quite intriguing. There has never been a human like you before. You have a pure spirit and a sense of wonder that is rare amongst your kind. We have found enjoyment in watching over you for the short amount of time you've used your powers. And so, we will continue to do just that. However, we must be completely clear with you in telling you that you cannot ever use your power to manipulate time ever again. Should you do so, we will not hesitate to engage you in another fight. When we do, we will pull you into a dimensional rip for good and not be as merciful as we were this time."