When It Rains...

It was raining spiders.

It was raining flaming, dying spiders.

As the fire spread along the web, there were many spiders that weren't able to get away from it fast enough. It soon became survival of the fittest in the tiny tree-hole room. Or rather, survival of the things that weren't close to Marco and Reina. The spiders that did have the misfortune of being right near Marco when he set the web aflame were caught up in the blaze, unable to push past the mass of other spiders that were crowding behind them. As they were engulfed in flame they let go of the web and dropped to the floor. They also brought with them bits and strands of flaming webs that detached from the main web on the ceiling. The hairy fireballs and their debris crashed down upon the horde of spiders on the floor. This of course set them on fire, and then the fire was spreading along the floor. All the while, a layer of smoke was forming and filling the room.

Basically, it was complete chaos.

Marco, the would-be Hero turned arsonist, coughed as he hit the web that was blocking his and Reina's exit with his sword.

"It's weak enough now," he said between coughs. About a third of the web had disappeared after the fire had eaten away at it. The rest was faltering as it was being burned away, and so it gave way easily to even Marco's dull blade.

"We have to get out of here!" Reina yelled in response. The act immediately made her cough as well.

"And–" Marco coughed. "And go where?"

"Up!"

"The fire will follow us!"

There was a pause as Marco momentarily stopped hacking at the web because of a coughing fit. When she saw this, Reina's eyes narrowed before quickly widening. She reached into her bag and produced two long cloths. She had brought them in case they needed to mend clothes or wounds on the journey, but stopping them from breathing smoke was an equally sensible use.

"Just start with the web," she said after tying one of the fabrics around her mouth. She gave Marco the other to do the same, and then turned to look at the hellish scene.

The fire was now covering over half the ceiling, with spiders still coming down like meteors, crashing into their brethren and spreading the fire. The remaining spiders scurried towards the ever-shrinking safe part of the room. At least the spiders were too busy fleeing for their lives to pay attention to Marco and Reina.

"Got it!"

Marco's shout brought Reina's attention back to him. She turned back around just as he gave the web one last decisive wack. The last few strands that kept it affixed to the ceiling were done in, causing it to crumple to the floor in a flaming heap.

"Great, let's go!" Reina shouted before going right into a run, flipping over the fiery mass, and landing safely in the exit passageway.

She looked at Marco only to find him just glaring back at her, his expression hard to read as he was covering half his face.

"Marco!"

He hesitated a moment longer before backing up. Then he sheathed his sword, grabbed the torch tightly, and broke into a run.

But just as he reached the point where he needed to jump over the fire, a flaming spider came crashing down right on top of him!

He jumped to the side, more out of instinct than thought. The spider smashed down right next to the web heap. Marco landed about three feet away on his stomach. He got to his feet just in time to witness the spider's final act.

In its struggle, the spider clung to the ceiling web with all its desperate strength. Unfortunately for it, the web was also at its end. The chunk of web it clung to gave way under its pull, falling along with it.

That wasn't all. Several other spiders were on that web when it fell. Those spiders were now coming down like hail in front of Marco, forming a pile and catching on fire.

This pile of spiders, web, and chunks of wood stood right between Marco and the exit, sharing their fire until it became one big flame that was too spread out for him to simply jump over.

"Damn," Marco swore to himself. Then, he shouted "Rein–"

He couldn't get it out before coughing. As he put his hand to his mouth, he realized the fabric covering it was gone.

He looked around only to discover that it now belonged to a spider. Or rather, a dead spider's flaming corpse.

The only thing he could think to do was to cover his mouth with his hands and drop to the floor. After he did, he looked longingly at the exit. Through the growing flame that blocked his way, he could just barely make out Reina's figure. She seemed to be bouncing up and down and beckoning at him, as if expecting him to attempt the jump regardless of its impossibility.

"Thanks for the help Reina," he thought. Not that there was anything she could do. In fact, Marco imagined that she would probably be leaving him soon. The fire would spread beyond that room and endanger the entire Elder Tree. Reina certainly wouldn't let herself die in some magical tree trying to save a guy she didn't even want around.

Die.

That work stuck in Marco's mind. He repeated it to himself.

Die. Die. Die.

He was really going to die!

His life was going to just end and no one, except maybe his parents, would care. To the world he would always just be Marco the Coward. The guy who ran away from battle, almost got a princess killed, and burned down one of the gods' last remaining gifts to humanity.

That would be his legacy.

When he had that thought, he shook his head, snapping himself back to reality. He couldn't let himself die now!

He frantically tried to crawl to the other side of the room, to the hole where he and Reina entered from. Now that basically everything was on fire, it was much easier for him to see. Tragically, it also meant that it was impossible for him to reach the other side. The fire seemed to have gotten tired of eating webs and spiders and started taking to tree bark. Marco found that he was surrounded by flames just like he was surrounded by spiders earlier, only this time there would be no escape.

He huddled against a wall and just focused on breathing, on surviving. As flames and smoke filled his vision, he found his eyes wandering back to the exit where Reina was. He didn't know why. She definitely didn't give him comfort in any form. It was just that…

He didn't want to die alone.

Reina was looking back at him and gesturing wildly. What was she trying to say?

Things were going hazy as he watched Reina do her odd little dance.

It took some time for Marco to realize that she was pointing. Pointing towards the ceiling. He followed her finger's path to the ceiling. He could finally see the top of it now thanks to the fire's light. There was a hole in the very center. It was spewing out what looked to be water.

Wait...water?

Yes, water! It was gushing out of the hole as if being funneled in from somewhere above. It doused the flames immediately under it and quashed even more as it began to spread along the floor. Soon, Marco's boots were dampened as it came to him.

Somehow, he was saved!

As a pool began to form on the floor, Marco carefully got to his feet and looked around. The few remaining spiders were still panicked as they continued to pour out the exit. They may have not liked the fire, but they weren't eager for a swim either.

Soon the pool was up to Marco's knees. That also meant that it had put out most of the fire that blocked his path to Reina, so he wasted no time in wading over to her. There were still larger flames that had yet to be put out, mostly on the ceiling, so he had just enough light to see the way.

"How?" was all Reina had to say.

"Let's just get out of here," Marco said with a smile.

"About that…" Reina gestured ahead, where the path split into two. Both ways slanted upwards. They were also both very dark. And Marco had dropped the torch when he made his failed leap.

He stood in silence to ponder, feeling the water brush against his shins. It took a moment for him to realize what that meant.

"Hold on…" he said as he bent down, putting his hand in the water. Just as he thought, it was moving. It was flowing down towards the spider room. Which also meant that it was coming from somewhere above. He put one hand on each of the slanted paths. His left hand felt the waters gush through his fingers, going down the path. The other remained dry.

"This way." He started up the watery path but then had a thought that stopped him. He extended his arm to Reina. "Hold on to me."

She wordlessly took his arm and they went on. The path was steep as well as wet, so Marco had to put one hand on the wall for guidance and assurance. He felt Reina stumble a few times as they went up, up towards a pattering sound.

The sound got louder until eventually he realized what it was. The light at the end of the path confirmed it.

Marco picked up the pace when he saw the light, excited to finally breathe fresh air again. Sure enough, they exited the tunnel and were greeted by a welcome sight.

It was raining.

It was raining cool, life-giving water.

Marco ran forward and stuck his hand out, never more glad to see the tiny puddle raindrops formed in his palm.

Reina came to his side. Her mouth was agape.

"How?"

It was like that was all she could say.

Marco laughed. "The rain got into the tree and saved us. I guess we're lucky."

"No, Marco. Look."

She pointed up. Marco had to squint to look through the downpour. There were trees tops below them, so they were definitely above forest level. Above them, the Elder Tree continued to extend. Marco couldn't see the very top through all the branches, but he guessed they were maybe halfway up it.

"The sky!" Reina said when Marco obviously didn't notice. Even then, he still squinted in confusion. "There isn't a cloud in the sky."