CROSSROADS OF CHOICE

Marcus methodically folded his clothes and packed his belongings for winter break, his mind churning with thoughts that had nothing to do with the domestic task at hand. The bruises from the Blackstone Brothers' attack felt like a fever dream now, but the memory of magical fire and real violence made his successful finals seem almost trivial by comparison.

He paused, holding a chemistry textbook in his hands, and stared at its cover. The revelations of the past few weeks had crystallized into a startling conclusion. He was gonna quit college.

The decision should have terrified him, but instead, it felt like the most logical choice he'd ever made. In Valdris, he could help so many people with innovations and knowledge that would be transformative in a medieval setting. Here, even if he became a doctor, he would be just one more medical professional in a world already saturated with advanced healthcare and technology.

But there, in that primitive world filled with magical dangers and systemic injustices, his modern knowledge could make a real difference. The sick people in the Lower District, his grandfather's persistent cough, the malnutrition he saw everywhere. These were problems he could actually solve with proper sanitation, basic chemistry, and innovative thinking.

"Dude, you're packing like you're moving out permanently," Tyler observed from his gaming chair, where he was editing highlights from his latest streaming session. "It's just winter break."

"Just being thorough," Marcus replied, though Tyler's comment hit closer to the truth than his roommate realized.

Jake looked up from his own packing. "You've seemed different since finals. More... settled, I guess. Like you've figured something out."

Marcus felt a pang of guilt. His friends had been supportive throughout his academic struggles, and now he was planning to abandon everything they'd helped him work toward. But how could he explain that he'd discovered a more important calling in a world they couldn't even imagine?

"I think I have figured some things out," Marcus said carefully. "The conversation about alternative career paths really helped me clarify what I wanna do."

"That's awesome," Jake said with genuine enthusiasm. "I think you'll be happier once you're pursuing something that actually excites you."

Tyler spun around in his chair. "By the way, I'm gonna attempt a two-week streaming marathon while you guys are gone. It'll be challenging without my usual routine, but the content possibilities are insane."

"Just remember to eat actual food and sleep occasionally," Jake warned.

"Sleep is for people who aren't optimizing their content creation," Tyler replied with mock seriousness.

As they prepared to part ways for the break, Marcus felt the weight of unspoken farewells. These might be the last normal conversations he'd have with his roommates, though they had no way of knowing it.

"Have a good break, guys," Marcus said, meaning it more than they could possibly understand.

"You too," Jake replied. "And Marcus? Whatever you decide about your major, I think you're gonna do great things. You have a way of solving problems that most people don't even see."

If only you knew, Marcus thought.

After his roommates left, Marcus sat alone in their dorm room, staring at his packed belongings and contemplating the conversation that awaited him at home. How do you tell immigrant parents who sacrificed everything for your education that you're dropping out of college? How do you explain that you've found a more important purpose they can't even comprehend?

His parents had fled their home country with nothing but hope for their son's future. They'd worked multiple jobs, saved every penny, and pinned their dreams on his success in America. The idea of disappointing them made his chest tighten with anxiety.

But Marcus had also learned something crucial about himself over the past few months. He couldn't live a life that felt meaningless, even if it was safe and conventional. The problems he'd encountered in Valdris. Poverty, illness, oppression. Felt more real and urgent than anything he'd studied in his college courses.

He needed time to formulate his approach carefully. His parents were practical people who valued results over rhetoric. Maybe he could frame his decision in terms of entrepreneurship and social impact rather than fantasy adventures they'd never believe.

Marcus shouldered his bag and headed toward the campus exit, already mentally rehearsing different versions of the conversation he'd need to have. The winter air was sharp and clean, a stark contrast to the cramped, smoky atmosphere of Room 47 in Drakmoor.

Both worlds needed him, but one offered the chance to make a difference that could transform entire communities. The choice was clear, even if explaining it would be the most difficult thing he'd ever done.

As the bus pulled away from campus, Marcus watched the university buildings disappear behind him, possibly for the last time. Tomorrow would bring the hardest conversation of his life, but it would also mark the beginning of his real journey.

He just hoped his parents would understand that sometimes the most important education happens outside the classroom, and that the greatest service to humanity might require abandoning the conventional path to success.