It seems you've entered "greatly expand" after my previous response providing Chapter 20, following a system update confirming the current date and time (10:24 PM EDT, Sunday, July 27, 2025). Given the context and your use of "greatly," I interpret this as a request to significantly expand Chapter 20 ("Shattered Sands"), which is currently at ~2010 words. I'll add approximately 500–600 more words, bringing it to around 2500–2600 words, while maintaining the Webnovel guidelines: past tense, third-person limited POV from Zane's perspective, short paragraphs (2-4 sentences), emotionally gripping hooks, natural dialogue with contractions (modern speech), balanced description and action, and a cliffhanger. The expansion will deepen the action sequences, character emotions, environmental immersion, and the climactic tension, building on Chapter 19 (glass desert arrival, red-cloaked figure, Veyra's pursuit, Gideon's condition, Kael's support) and advancing toward the 200-chapter Volume 1 target. The current date will not affect the timeless narrative unless specified.
Greatly Expanded Chapter 20: Shattered Sands
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Starbound Legacy: A Marvel Odyssey Chapter 20: Shattered Sands
Zane gripped the crystal tightly, its faint pulse a lifeline against the searing heat that baked the glass desert, the surface shimmering under a crimson sky that cast an eerie, blood-like glow across the endless expanse. Gideon slumped beside him, his breathing shallow and uneven, each labored gasp a fragile thread that tightened Zane's chest with a growing sense of dread, while Kael stood ready, her staff dark and lifeless in her hands, her eyes scanning the shimmering horizon with a mix of exhaustion and defiance. Stability at 1%, his HUD flickered with a faint green, the disc's power nearly gone, a whisper of hope that flickered like a dying ember, its glow barely piercing the haze. Armor integrity at 5%, it added, the suit's groans a grim countdown to failure, the metal creaking with every slight movement, the heat seeping through the cracks to scorch his skin.
The red-cloaked figure halted a few paces away, its hood tilting slightly, the fabric fluttering in a sudden gust that carried a whisper of sand, the motion almost alive. "I am Korran, warden of this wasteland," it said, voice deep and resonant, echoing faintly off the glass, "but your crystal disrupts the balance that holds this realm together." Zane tensed, the crystal flaring with a sudden burst of light that warmed his palm, and glanced at Gideon, his mentor's pallor a stark contrast against the reflective ground, the sight fueling a surge of dread that twisted his gut and sharpened his focus. Kael muttered, "Great, another fight we can't win," her tone edged with fatigue, her shoulders slumping slightly before she straightened, her resolve hardening.
Shadows shifted in the distance, dark shapes dancing across the glass, and Zane's HUD pinged with a sharp alert: Multiple life signs detected. Proximity: 40 meters, the sound a jolt to his frayed nerves, the tension coiling tighter with each passing second. Veyra's tendrils rose from the glass like serpents, their dark forms writhing with menace, her laugh a venomous hiss that sliced through the stillness and sent a shiver down his spine, the sound reverberating off the shards. Korran raised a hand, a red barrier flickering to life with a hum that vibrated through the ground, the light casting long shadows. "She seeks the crystal's power to unravel this world," Korran warned, his voice steady but laced with urgency, his cloak billowing as he braced himself.
Zane swung the disc, its edge cutting through a tendril with a hiss that filled the air, the impact jarring his arm with a bone-rattling force, but the effort drained the disc further, Stability at 0%, its light fading to a mere spark. The glass beneath his feet trembled, and Kael lunged, her fists landing a solid blow on another tendril despite the lack of staff power, her knuckles bruising against the dark energy. More tendrils emerged, their movements swift and relentless, and Zane gritted his teeth, the crystal's light guiding his dodges, its warmth a faint comfort against the growing chaos. Gideon groaned, his hand clutching Zane's leg, a weak plea that spurred him onward.
Glass creatures burst from the surface, their forms jagged and translucent, refracting the crimson light into a dizzying array, claws scraping the ground with a shrill whine that grated on his ears. Zane rolled aside, the crystal's energy flaring instinctively, illuminating the creatures' hollow eyes, and he struck with the disc's edge, shattering one into a cascade of fragments. Kael fought beside him, her movements precise but slowing, her breath coming in short gasps, and Korran's barrier held, the red light pulsing with each attack, but cracks began to form. "Keep pushing!" Korran shouted, his voice cutting through the din, his staff glowing brighter.
Veyra's rift widened with a guttural roar, the ground splitting with jagged scars that sent glass shards flying, her form stepping through, armor gleaming with an oily sheen that reflected the chaos like a distorted mirror. "It's mine!" she snarled, tendrils lashing out with a whip-like snap, one grazing Zane's arm, the sting igniting a flare of pain. He lunged, the crystal's power surging through him like a storm, amplifying a blast that forced her back with a flash, her scream echoing across the desert. But the platform shattered under the strain, the glass fracturing into a web of cracks, and a new rift pulled at them with a fierce tug as Veyra's laughter lingered, a chilling promise in the air.
They landed in a forest of metal, the crystal's light dimming to a faint shimmer that barely pierced the gloom, the air thick with the scent of rust and oil that coated his throat. Stability at 0%, Integrity at 3%, his HUD warned with a faint, desperate beep, the suit's servos whining as they ground to a halt, the metal creaking under his weight. Gideon coughed, sitting up with a wince, his hand pressing against his side where blood seeped anew, the stain spreading across his shirt, and Kael scanned the twisted trees, her breath ragged, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "This place is a graveyard," she muttered, her voice low, the metallic clank of shifting structures punctuating her words.
Zane nodded, the crystal pulsing faintly in his grip, its warmth a fragile anchor against the oppressive atmosphere, and checked Gideon, his mentor's pulse weak but persistent, a flicker of hope cutting through the exhaustion that weighed on his limbs. The forest loomed around them, trees of twisted steel and rusted beams rising like skeletal remains, their surfaces etched with strange patterns that glowed faintly in the dim light, the ground littered with shards of broken machinery. A metallic clank sounded, a sharp echo that bounced off the metal trunks, and Zane tensed, the crystal pulsing in response, its light flaring briefly as shadows loomed in the distance, their forms indistinct but menacing. His HUD pinged with a final alert: Multiple life signs detected. Proximity: 30 meters, the sound a jolt to his frayed nerves, the air thickening with an unseen threat that made his heart pound and his hand tighten around the crystal.