How This Came Together
In Assault on the Walls, Tarian and his people were promised a peaceful world, one that wouldn’t require defenses. The scans said the planet was empty of dangers. It was safe. But Morven had other plans. As colonists begin to vanish and monstrous creatures rise from the wilderness, Tarian pushes for a wall, a last line of defense against the unknown. Half-built and surrounded, the colony faces more than a battle, because this assault isn’t about territory. It’s a message from the planet itself.
While the colonists fight to survive, their leaders race to uncover a darker truth. With every appearance of these living legends, the mystery deepens, especially with the disappearances. Most only whisper about a possible connection, but only Tarian, Keldon, and Sherry know the truth. As tension builds and theories spread, Tarian must hold the line, not only against the monsters at the gate, but against the secrets threatening to unravel what little certainty they have left.
Behind the Scenes
Despite a complete rewrite, I still can’t recall what first sparked this story. But honestly, that’s true for much of this series. Only two elements were always clear to me. The central mystery of the planet, and I’m not ready to surrender those secrets yet. And the final resolution between the colonists and their new world.
The bigger mystery to me is why I chose to reveal certain truths when I did. Worldbuilding is a balancing act. Give too much, and you smother the reader’s curiosity. Withhold too much, and you risk losing them entirely. I may not recall every step in shaping this tale, or the series as a whole, but this revelation still feels right.
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Excerpt of Assault on the Walls
Tarian stood atop the partially constructed walls as his gaze swept across the writhing mass of monsters. As he surveyed a source of his nightmares, he rubbed his brow when he recognized the tallest among them. The colonists had debated names for the hulking brutes with misshapen and grotesque features, but ‘Ogres’ had stuck. Truthfully, they were the reason the colony was constructing a more permanent defense.
Keldon climbed the stairs and clapped his friend’s back. “Tell me I’m not imagining that their numbers are growing.”
“I wish it was your imagination, Kel.” Tarian rubbed his eyes as he turned to face his friend. “Even if it’s not growing, it appears to be every time I look.”
“It could be worse,” Keldon said, tapping the wall with his foot. “Fortunately, we’ve already built this much of our defenses.”
“It’s fortunate we’ve managed this much,” Tarian said, bouncing his fist against the surface. “Though based on everything we saw before entering the atmosphere, we shouldn’t have required it.”
Keldon licked his lips as he stared over at the writhing monsters. After several moments, he clapped Tarian’s back. “It’s still bothering you, isn’t it?”
With a stiff nod, Tarian slammed his fists on the wall. “Of course it bothers me! I wouldn’t have imagined results like those could have been created naturally.”
Keldon pressed his hands together as his eyes flicked to Tarian. “Normally I wouldn’t argue with you.”
“What do you mean, normally?”
“Based on Sherry’s scans from orbit and what we’ve performed post-crash, there’s no lab on this planet. Nothing’s manufacturing those beasts.”
Tarian turned, slamming his fist against the wall, his stomach twisting. He fixed his eyes on the seething horde below. “Then explain how those things have the DNA of our missing people?”
“I can’t explain it,” Keldon said, rubbing his neck as he turned to face the colonists meandering below them. “Have you changed your mind about telling the others?”
“No,” Tarian said, shaking his head. “That knowledge burdens us as it is. We don’t have to burden everyone. For now, we’ll keep it to you, me, and Sherry. If it spreads, I’m not sure what’ll happen to our survival.”
Keldon’s eyes fluttered as he retrieved his telescope to survey the horde. “Tarian?!”
“What now?”
“We’re about to have the first real test of these defenses.” Keldon pointed at the monsters as they surged forward, clawed feet pounding the earth.
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