,,,,,~~\** **\~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~~\ \~~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~\** **\~~,,,,,
,,,,~~\**& ,,,\,,, &**\~~,,,,
,,,~~\**&@ NAFTAKIN, THE BLIND @&**\~~,,,
,,~~\**&@# ,,,\,,, #@&**\~~,,
,~~\**&@## ##@&**\~~,
,,~~\**&@# A STUDENT AT THE CHARCOAL GUILD... HIS #@&**\~~,,
,,,~~\**&@ EYES SEWN SHUT FROM BIRTH... THE MOST @&**\~~,,,
,,,,~~\**& SUCCESSFUL STUDENT &**\~~,,,,
,,,,,~~\** **\~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* BUT ONE DAY HE FELL DOWN INTO A CRYSTAL *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~~\ CAVERN. IT WAS DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIN, A \~~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* GREAT HALL WITH ONLY A SINGLE TINY *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~\** INLET FOR BOTH LIGHT AND FALLING **\~~,,,,,
,,,,~~\**& STUDENTS... &**\~~,,,,
,,,~~\**&@ @&**\~~,,,
,,~~\**&@# IN THE FALL, THE QUARTZ SLICED OFF THE #@&**\~~,,
,~~\**&@## THREADS IN HIS EYES, OPENING THEM FOR ##@&**\~~,
,,~~\**&@# THE FIRST TIME. BEFORE HIM, THE #@&**\~~,,
,,,~~\**&@ CRYSTALS MIRRORED AND REFRACTED THE ONE @&**\~~,,,
,,,,~~\**& LIGHT SMIDGE INTO A WHOLE NIGHT SKY, &**\~~,,,,
,,,,,~~\** AND HE WAS STRUCK DOWN WITH AWE **\~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~~\ BUT ALSO WITH SHAME, BECAUSE HIS EYES \~~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* HAD SEEN. HURRIEDLY, HE USED THREAD *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~\** FROM HIS ROBE TO SEW THEM BACK **\~~,,,,,
,,,,~~\**& TOGETHER, AND WHEN HELP CAME HE DID NOT &**\~~,,,,
,,,~~\**&@ TELL OF HIS TRANSGRESSION. @&**\~~,,,
,,~~\**&@# #@&**\~~,,
,~~\**&@## FOR YEARS HE STUDIED AT THE GUILD. HE ##@&**\~~,
,,~~\**&@# BECAME A MASTER, AND THEN A PILGRIM. #@&**\~~,,
,,,~~\**&@ YET THE IMAGE FROM THE CAVE NEVER LEFT @&**\~~,,,
,,,,~~\**& HIM. &**\~~,,,,
,,,,,~~\** **\~~,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, WHEN AT THE *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~~\ EDGE OF THE WORLD HE OPENED HIS EYES \~~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~~\* FOR A SECOND TIME, STARS HAD HATCHED IN *\~~,,,,,,
,,,,,~~\** THEM... **\~~,,,,,
,,,,~~\**& &**\~~,,,,
,,,~~\**&@ @&**\~~,,,
,,~~\**&@# #@&**\~~,,
,~~\**&@## ##@&**\~~,
,,~~\**&@# #@&**\~~,,