The blackness evaporated soon enough, revealing its effects. Liam hadn't suffered anything, and the same went for his clothes since Qi of identical nature enveloped his figure, but things were quite different for the environment.
A large patch of the ground around Liam had disappeared. He found himself in front of a shallow but wide hole, only what his figure had shielded remaining untouched.
Moreover, the affected ground was no more. It had become a dark slime that leaked ominous fumes, bubbling and sizzling.
Liam had already seen similar effects in the trip to Kilrest, when he had first succeeded at the second layer of Qi mastery, almost hurting Grace in the process. His Hatred-fueled energy had consumed the wooden seats and floor, imprinting poisonous blemishes.
The current scene featured an almost identical scar, just broader and deeper. Part of it could be blamed on Liam's power at eighty-one minor roots, but not all, and that was exactly what he focused on.
