%%=~:..... .....:~=%%
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¶&%%=~:... ...:~=%%&¶
#¶&%%=~:.. ...=... ..:~=%%&¶#
##¶&%%=~:. 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... .....:~=%%
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&%%=~:.... ....:~=%%&
¶&%%=~:... ...:~=%%&¶
#¶&%%=~:.. ..:~=%%&¶#