Sonic was at the bottom of the sea, thrashing helplessly as the heavy chain coiled around his leg like a serpent dragging him down into endless black. Every frantic tug only cut deeper into his skin, sending bubbles spiraling toward a surface he could no longer see. The water pressed down on him from all sides—cold, merciless, infinite. His greatest fear had become his prison.

The hedgehog’s chest burned, each second without air like fire in his lungs. His vision blurred with panic, and in that crushing silence, the darkness felt alive. His body screamed for oxygen, but instead of relief, blood escaped from his eyes and mouth, staining the water in a crimson haze.

He shouted for his friends—Amy, Tails, Knuckles, anyone—but his voice dissolved into the ocean’s vast emptiness. No one came. No one answered. The stillness wrapped around him like a coffin, and in that isolation, he thought it was over. His heart pounded against his ribs until despair began to replace hope.

That’s when he heard it.

A laugh.

Muffled, distant, unnatural. Mocking.

But underwater? His mind reeled. Was it Eggman’s voice? Or was he already hallucinating from the lack of oxygen? Was he losing his mind, slipping away into nothingness?

Then—light. A glow shimmered above him, cutting through the shadows.

Amaya.

The glow of her Chaos aura painted the water in crimson and gold as she dove like an arrow through the depths. Her hoodie and quills streamed behind her like dark wings, her scarlet eyes fixed on him with sharp determination. There was no hesitation—only instinct.

Sonic’s fading eyes widened as she closed the distance. Before he could even react, her lips pressed against his, and a rush of precious air filled his starving lungs. His body jolted at the sudden relief, clinging to the lifeline she offered.

The chaos bow materialized in her hand, its form humming with raw energy. In one swift motion, Amaya pulled back the string and released a glowing arrow. It shot forward like a blazing comet, striking the chain that bound him. The iron links shattered, fragments scattering into the abyss.

Sonic was free—but his body was weak. Blood loss, suffocation, panic—it all weighed him down. He collapsed against Amaya, clutching her desperately.

She kissed him again, transferring another breath, refusing to let him slip away. Her arms wrapped around him, muscles straining as she fought the drag of the ocean. He was fast on land, faster than anyone alive—but down here, he was fragile. Helpless. Heavy.

With every kick upward, the pressure squeezed tighter around them, the weight of the sea trying to claim them both. Sonic’s trembling body pressed into hers, his heart pounding erratically against her chest. Each kiss she gave was more than just air—it was a promise: I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.

Her chaos boots thrummed with energy, propelling them faster. The glow of her aura spread outward, forming a faint shield that cut through the currents. Still, every meter upward felt like a battle, the water clawing at them, testing her resolve.

Sonic’s grip weakened, his head drooping against her shoulder. For a terrifying moment, Amaya thought she might be too late. But she tightened her hold, her scarlet eyes burning with fury against the abyss.

“Not you,” she whispered into the water, though the words never reached his ears. “I’m not losing you.”

The surface finally split above them with a violent splash. Air rushed over their faces, the sound of waves crashing suddenly deafening after the crushing silence below. Sonic gasped, coughing as his lungs dragged in oxygen greedily. Amaya held him afloat, her chest heaving, water cascading from her quills and clothes.

The night sky stretched wide above them, stars scattered like fragments of hope. For the first time since sinking into the depths, Sonic could finally breathe—not just from the air, but from the fact that Amaya was there, her arms locked protectively around him.