.::~~~$$@@                                          @@$$~~~::.
.:~:$$$@@@                                          @@@$$$:~:.
.:~:$@####                                          ####@$:~:.
.:~:$@@###                                          ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@###                                          ###@@$:~:.
...:~$$@##                  ...:...                 ##@$$~:...
.:~:$@@###           naftakin, the blind            ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@@@#                 ...:...                  #@@@@$:~:.
....~::@##                                          ##@::~....
.:~:$@@### a  student at the charcoal  guild... his ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@### eyes  sewn shut  from birth... the  most ###@@$:~:.
...:~~:$@@            successful student            @@$:~~:...
.:~:@@####                                          ####@@:~:.
......~$@# but one day  he fell down into a crystal #@$~......
.:~:$@@### cavern.  it was deep  in the mountain, a ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@### great  hall  with  only  a  single  tiny ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@### inlet   for   both  light   and  falling ###@@$:~:.
.:~:@@####               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 @@::::....
.:~:$@@### became  a  master,  and then  a pilgrim. ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@### yet the image from the  cave  never left ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@###                   him.                   ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@###                                          ###@@$:~:.
....~:$@@# at  the end  of his  life,  when at  the #@@$:~....
....~~$$@# edge  of the  world he opened  his  eyes #@$$~~....
.:~:$@@### for a second  time, stars had hatched in ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$@@###                 them...                  ###@@$:~:.
.:~:$$$$@@                                          @@$$$$:~:.
....~$$@@#                                          #@@$$~....
.:~:$@####                                          ####@$:~:.
.....::@@#                                          #@@::.....
.:~:$@@@##                                          ##@@@$:~:.