diary of a healer

I've decided to leave the Domain in the morning. I've reached the age the Princess was when she left us, and I'm not even half as talented at healing as she was. There’s only so much I can learn from books and tradition without a teacher to guide me.

Everyone is kind about my lack of ability... maybe except for Muzu, but I can feel their disappointment. Even Sidon’s enthusiasm isn’t convincing enough.

I failed to heal a guard that was struck by one of the Lynel’s shock arrows… he’ll have some permanent loss of movement in one of his arms. It’s something I know the Princess would’ve just had to spare a glance at to fix.

I can't take the feeling of being a failure anymore. My magic has no use here and I’m nothing more than an overhyped mooch on the royal family. I'll head for the sea, and maybe I'll find my place somewhere in the wider world.

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I've left a goodbye letter on Mipha’s statue and snuck down the ladders to avoid everyone on the bridge. The only route I've ever traveled is down stream, so that's where I'm starting.

My heart hurts to leave home, but I think it's best for everyone. I hope no one misses me, and I hope I can return to them someday with more to show for myself. I want to be more deserving of my title instead of feeling like a fraud.

There’s way more monsters here than there are up the river, but I found a wood cutting axe at an abandoned camp. It actually feels pretty natural to swing around, but the sound of blade on flesh makes me nauseous. It's a necessary evil to be able to live safely outside of home, I guess.

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I followed the Rutala River until it shot me out into the ocean. I only saw the ocean once as a child, but seeing it again now is something special. The water is warm and I can swim without worrying about hitting the river bed or any of the creatures in it. The current in the river is linear and pulling, but the waves push and pull in a way that feels like being rocked to sleep.

The salt is a little weird, but I think it’s worth getting used to. I’m taking a break on a beach near a hylian. I wanted to use her campfire to cook myself some food for my next stretch down the shore, but she told me to beat it so she can spend time with her boyfriend. Which is a glowing ball. I’m starting to have second thoughts about talking to anyone out here.

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I ran into some fishing boats today. Part of me was surprised that anyone would be brave enough to fish when there’s so many Lizalfos in the water, but sure enough one of them managed to clip me with a spear. 

The men onboard screamed when I crawled onto their raft bleeding. They’d known about zora but never seen one before, and I can’t really blame them. They should just be glad that I’m like… not Sidon sized.

A man named Numar was my attacker. He’s a sensible guy that isn’t in love with a glowing ball, so I immediately like him more than most hylians I’ve met. He was really upset about the whole ordeal, but I fixed myself up and asked they take me somewhere interesting. They brought me back to their village of Lurelin. It’s extremely small, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

A crowd met us at the pier, which I’m not a fan of, but I was offered a meal and met the village elder. It’s weird how Hylians get smaller as they get older.

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I’ve decided to stay in Lurelin for now. The food is good and the people tend to mind their own business, which is really all I can ask for. There’s a pond on the edge of town that feeds from a fresh spring waterfall. I’ve taken it up as my house, and no one touches my things if I put them at the bottom of the pond or shove them in the crevices behind the waterfall.

The beach outside of the village tapers off into a sandbar full of flora and animals. I’m very fond of the wild horses and coconuts. I cut down one of the coconut trees with my axe and I’m planning to try carving a small raft with it. Just big enough for my things, since I don’t need to sit on top of it.

My first try at woodworking was a bust. I made a thin board that barely floats, but at least it’s a start. I left it by the fishermen’s fire so they could use it for fuel, but one of the children took it I think. A small hylian was throwing it around the sandbar earlier today… he’d throw it just before the water would recede back into the ocean, and then hop on it and skid across the sand. I watched him hit a rock and fall over face first into the sand. Might be fun to try sometime.

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I met a beautiful hylian today. He traveled in with a huge backpack and very worn shoes. His hair is crystal blue with cowlick tufts like fins. Hylians live much shorter lives, but I have to assume he's well traveled as a merchant. Seen all the horrors the Calamity created. But he smiles like he doesn't even know what evil is.

I'm fascinated by him… and so is the rest of the town. They wouldn’t even leave him alone long enough for me to really talk to him, which is annoying. I did manage a short conversation, though. Apparently he really likes bugs, so I guess he’s in the right place considering the beach is full of them. He’s supposed to come by tonight so I can go looking for them with him… I pray he actually comes.

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He actually came. :]

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Since Beetle visited, the hylians in town have been nicer to me? They've never been mean outright, but they've definitely left me alone until this point. Maybe they realized I’m actually friendly and not planning to eat them.

It started with Chessica coming to visit me from the inn. She seemed worried that I've been living in a pond… apparently I should be sleeping in a bed. And wearing clothes. I don’t know why it matters to her what I do.

I told her that zora don’t usually wear clothes and like to sleep in communal pools most of the time, but she wasn't very convinced. I invited her to try sleeping with me in the pond sometime but she turned red and laughed at me… I don't get it.

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The elder saw me cut down a coconut tree today. Well… I guess I should call him by his name, which is Rozel. I thought he was going to chide me for messing up the beach, but he just asked if I was planning on building a house with the palmwood. An interesting idea, but I told him I wanted to make a small raft that was big enough to carry my things on and maybe sit on when I get tired. Then he asked if I was trying to make a ‘surfboard’, as if I’m supposed to know what that is?
Apparently a surfboard is an ancient recreational tool. It's a wooden plank with some curves carved into it for hydrodynamics that you use to glide over the water. The waves aren’t big enough around here to use it for sport, but it’d get the job done for what I need. And I chose the complete wrong wood to get something like that done. Rozel asked me if I’d like him to show me how to do some basic woodworking, but I got embarrassed and left… I’ll take up his offer someday, or maybe find someone else to make it. I would like to have a surfboard.

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I saved a hylian today… and I'm not sure how to feel. I was deep beneath the water sifting for treasure in Kilano when the monster camp nearby started making a ruckus.

I'm not one to get into others’ fights, but when I saw this man shoot a shock arrow at his feet to clear out a mob. Well, I panicked. 

I healed him but not well enough. Part of his ear is gone forever… but I'm so glad he's alive. He did all of that just for his captured animals. He must be as kind as he is brave to put himself in so much danger.

I should've taken him to his home since he was in such rough shape, but I ran away when I got this weird twist in my stomach… I'm a gold star coward.

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One of the children tried climbing to the dormant shrine in the rain. It didn't go well. I heard the scream all the way from the beach.

Poor Kinov broke one of his legs during the fall. There's no doctor in town, but everyone had their own advice about what to do. Like wrapping it in a palm leaf or rubbing it with crushed bright-eyed crab. I told them all to shove it.

Kiana looked faint from seeing her baby in so much agony, but she's a good mother. She got me everything I needed while I set the child's fracture and healed it to the best of my abilities. I managed enough that the bone is mended and there shouldn't be a risk of infection or permanent damage, but I wrapped him in a cast for good measure.

The poor baby fell asleep from stress right after I gave him an elixir to restore his strength. I showed Kiana how to make it for any future typical kid injuries… it's just a hearty salmon and a monster part. 

She insisted I start coming over every night for dinner, which I'm going to do… I'm kind of in love with her paella.

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The man from Hateno is on my mind. I found out where he lives from context clues and asking around Lurelin. Apparently a sharp-eyed blonde hunter comes around once in a while to sell pelts and animal goods. I would like to know how he's doing, and if his animals have been safe since the monsters have returned to their camp.

I miss my merchant, too. The village is confident he'll return, but I'm getting impatient. This place is lovely to live in, but I feel like I could be doing something so much more. Even if my skills are mediocre, I wonder how many travelers have perished on those roads from something as simple as a broken limb or a deep cut. Things I have the ability to fix, but have been keeping that ability all to myself.

Chumin is back in town from his trading run to the local stables. He agreed to escort me to Hateno so I can see Reese and stock up for a journey. Then I'll return and wait for Beetle again, but when he comes I'll follow him across Hyrule.