.                     □    |
      /     ■

□ ■

                            |  |

               —
   —
                           ■
      |    ■   —

/   |      —    ■
     | □ |
                     —   ■

i.e.?
   i had this rule...
never finish off started off puzzles...
but today?
  i took a leap of faith...

as ever... drunk like a skunk,
and... hey presto!
     OMNIA's fee ra huri live
to accompany me...

8    9    6    1    7    5    3    2    4
5    2    7    4    6    3    9    1    2
3    1    4    8    9    2    5    7    6
6    8    2    3    5    4    7    9    1
7    4    5    9    2    1    6    8    3
1    3    9    7    8    6    4    5    2
2    5    8    6    4    9    1    3    7
4    7    3    5    1    8    2    6    9
9    6    1    2    3    7    8    4    5

the, in bold? what was
a requisite, a given.