As the men coordinated and learned, they found weaknesses. The greater number, bravery and coordination of the soldiers gave them a slight edge. 

They realised the weak spots were the joints of the legs, and the sockets to the body, the eyes, and the mouth. 

They struck at those spots with their spears, forcing the sharp points of the spears into those soft spots. 

The two giant spiders, whilst much larger, fearsome looking and deadly, were overwhelmed by these smaller bipedal human creatures armed with fire and sharp pointy things. 

"Right flank, drive your spears into the side," the Sergeant ordered. "Arrows into the eyes," he ordered a squad of bowmen who had assembled in front of the right spider. 

The spears crunched into the spider, forcing its head down, exposing its eyes, the bowmen had already drawn together and let loose a volley, for a bowman it was point blank, at a range of a matter of metres. 

All eight eyes were compromised, the arrows shredded into the spiders’ eyes, causing it to wail in agony and anguish.

"Mount it, stab from above, spears from below, drive it through the mouth!" The Sergeant ordered. 

He turned to the other spider, the spearmen were trying to repeat the tactic, but the spider seemed smarter than they gave it credit. 

It spun on itself, sweeping its legs around, knocking twelve soldiers from their feet all at once. 

It stabbed two of them in the gut with its legs, and pounced on a third, plunging its fangs into him, he screamed in agony; but the brave man drove his dirk straight upwards into the mouth of the spider, causing it to release a gush of dark disgusting fluid from its mouth. 

The spider wobbled and scudded to the side, its large legs scampering and careering it away. It crashed into a tree. 

Perseus surprised the Sergeant; with a sudden burst of bravery, he hadn't yet seen in the man before. A sneak and a cheek, yes indeed he was, a thief with the Graeae, yes indeed, but a brave warrior, he hadn't pinned on him.  

Perseus launched himself towards the spider, his mirrored shield slamming hard into the fangs, forcing them back. Perseus swung with his sword and severed the left pedipalp clean off. 

His sudden assault encouraged more soldiers to launch a fresh attack. They roared, charging the spider, with sword and spear. The Sergeant looked around them, wounded men in all directions, a good twenty men pinning the other spider down and skewering it, the third flaming spider dying in the distance. 

He looked out for other threats. Were there only three? Their defences had broken up. 

"All around defences," he spun to the men. "Tighten us up, fresh shield wall, in case more of those fuckers come," the soldiers who weren't immediately preoccupied jumped to his orders. 

He looked back to see Perseus and five other soldiers forcing the spider against a tree; pushing and driving spears, with all their strength, into the hard outer shell of the arachnid. 

The spider squealed, leading another soldier to plunge a spear right into its mouth, causing another deluge of dark goop to pour from its mouth. 

Another spear burst into the abdomen, causing it to rip open and discharge more fluid. 

Several more slashes and stabs and the giant spider rolled onto its side, its legs twitching convulsively, it's life ebbing away. 

"Launch another flare, let's get more fire in the air," he shouted out. 

A flare arrow launched upwards, there was a pause, too long. There was mostly silence, apart from the moans of the wounded. The spiders were dead and silent. 

Thirty seconds later there followed a whoosh above them, the fireball landed thirty marks from their position and it lit up a horrifying sight. 

A multitude of dark eyes, hairy legs, terrifying giant spiders, there were tens of them. They veered from the burst of flames but their intent was clear. 

"Shit," the Sergeant grumbled. Sweat poured from his forehead and stung his eyes. How the hell were they going to survive the night? The thought crossed his mind. 

"Tighten the defences, pull it in lads, wounded into the middle, give them weapons," the soldiers immediately obeyed his orders, tightening up, recovering, taking a sip of water, readying their defences for another onslaught. 

A horn sounded from behind, much closer this time. The Sergeant swung round to see a double path of torches had been lit all the way up from the beach to their position. 

"Bloody hell," the Corporal blurted out, "you seamen ain't half bad, daft as donkeys but ain't half bad," he greeted one of the captains as they jogged into the circle breathing heavily.