.,~*=@####                                          ####@=*~,.
..,~*=@###                                          ###@=*~,..
...,~*=@##                                          ##@=*~,...
....,~*=@#                                          #@=*~,....
.....,~*=@                                          @=*~,.....
......,~*=                 ...*...                  =*~,......
.......,~*           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...                 @=*~,.....
......,~*=                                          =*~,......
.......,~*                                          *~,.......
........,~                                          ~,........
.........,                                          ,.........
..........                                          ..........