###@@*\~:. .:~\*@@###
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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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