Origins: Erdrick

Smash Mansion, catacombs

The Fighting Wire Frame opened the sliding glass door, and Link stepped through. When he did, he immediately noticed Mario and Shulk hunched over a computer monitor in the throughs of conversation

"…and if we layer this universe by dimensions, you can see there's a middle point…."

"Where they're-a connecting. Interesting…" Mario said to his blond counterpart, rubbing his chin.

"You…uh….wanted to see Mario?" sheepishly interrupted Link.

Mario sprang from his huddled over position, "Ah!" Link!" he shouted with his usual gleeful greeting, "We've-a got a mission for you," he said, gesturing to the computer.

Link took a space next to the duo to look at the monitor. On the screen appeared to be a list of names, none of which Link recognized

"Hand Protocols." Link sighed

Shulk nodded, "Indeed! This is another one of the dimensions Hand's been keeping an eye on since before he kicked the bucket. This is one of the oldest, up there with guys like Cloud's old entry"

Link raised an eyebrow, "And this one is special because…?"

"Of all the dimensions Hand's been keeping an eye on, this one has had the most consistent ebb and flow of good to evil energy, in that evil will appear and be vanquished by good, every couple 'a-years. But it came up on our radar because there's a small space in which the dimensions are converging and de-converging."

"We think," Shulk piped in, " Conker screwing with the Smash Core is causing this divergence, and, from what we've been able to gather, they're looking into how to stop it too."

Shulk typed a button combination on the computer, and on the big screen came an image of a man with spikey hair, a multi-colored tunic, holding an ancient-looking sword.

"This is our newest recruit. Erdrick of Alefgard. He's one of the many heroes to take the name Erdrick, the name of an ancient hero, but Master Hand had his eye on this-a guy specifically."

Link frowned, "And I'm doing the recruiting? Why do I do all the sword guy recruiting? Marth and I had to recruit this guy", Link said, gesturing to Shulk, "Dark Pit, Palutena, and many others? Why me?"

Mario smirked, "I suppose you'd have me send Samus and her arm cannon from space to these guys who's idea of advanced technologically is a weathervane."

Link thought about it for a moment, "You do have a point."

"Plus," Mario countered, "You're-a the best swordsmen I know. Never forget that fratello "

Link smiled, which prompted smiles from both of the other men in the room, Mario broke the silence, "So get some sleep, we'll let you know when this cabal gets back together, and you're gonna drop in on 'em."

Link nodded, "Will do boss," said the Hyrule warrior, as he about-faced out of the room.

For the past month, the man known as Erdrick had had a dream. A dream of a young man with an ornate shield being overtaken by puppets of darkness. The area was familiar to him as he watched. It was a lush, green, field, with the only thing differentiating it from any other field in Alefgard were some ancient ruins scattered about. Men like him rushed to help, but he was the lynchpin.

He had become familiar with the men too. If he wasn't having that dream, he was whisked away to some magical place where he conversed with those men about the dream. Even though in the dream he had three allies, around the oaken table sat ten other men Frankly, Erdrick found the meetings boring, despite his great respect for the men. They had ascertained that each of them was a Luminary, connected either spiritually or ancestrally to Erdrick the Great, the hero of legend who had first vanquished evil in Alefgard centuries ago. Beyond those revelations, however, the meetings were never very productive, especially when it came to discussing the dream, or how they were all able to meet, as all nine of his counterparts were as confused as he. That was, until one night.

"Aye, looks like we're back 'ere again" moaned a red bandana clad young man, one of the men from the dream.

"I've put some thought into this gentlemen" began a young man clad in a black and purple mage outfit, "And I believe we've all been summoned here because we're needed in a cataclysmic struggle of some kind."

"Well," snarled a green-haired man, slamming his fist down onto the oaken table, "Why don't dis cataclysm show itself instead of just summonin' us here like a bunch o' mangy jackasses?

As if on cue, a light shown in the barren, marble room in which they resided. Out of the light stepped a young man with scruffy, blond hair. But, Erdrick recognized something familiar immediately.

"That shield," remarked Erdrick, "You're the man from the dream"

"Aye" sleepily remarked the stranger, "I be Link. I'm looking for the man named Erdrick."

"That be me," said Erdrick

Link smirked, "Should've figured the most observant one was the one Mario wanted. Erdrick, I come to you because, as the youngest of you determined, you are needed for assistance with a great cataclysm that is yet to come. In the meantime, however, we would like you to participate in a tournament amongst all of our members. Do you accept?"

Erdrick opened his mouth to speak, but the rude green-haired man cut him off, "Oi! Why him 'an not me? Or any of us for zat matter?"

That set off a chain of hushed bickering around the oaken table. Erdrick looked to Link, who looked incredibly tired, and not in the mood to interject.

"ENOUGH!" boomed a man in an orange helmet, "Erdrick hath been chosen for a reason, one that is too grand for any of us to comprehend! Instead of bickering like children, I propose, nay, demand, that we all provide our assistance to Erdrick. Our adventuring days have long since passed by varying degrees, so if we can save the world one last time by giving our knowledge, then that is what I suggest we do!"

A murmur of agreement pursed the room as Link offered a hand for Erdrick to take. Erdrick stood slowly from his position at the table, walking over to Link, and taking his hand in solidarity.

"Now, I'm no expert on the magic mumbo jumbo. However, I think it'd be safe to assume you're all interconnected somehow, and that you can talk to Erdrick without summoning him here. Now, Erdrick, if you just hang on a minute here."

"Hang on to wha-?"

Link snapped his fingers, and in a brilliant light, the two teleported away. When the light dissipated, Erdrick found himself in a courtyard in an enormous mansion in the dead of night

"This is the Smash Mansion. You'll be residing here until the tournament concludes at the very least. Now, you'll get a room assignment eventually, but not tonight, so you can crash on my floor."

"Crash?" confusedly asked Erdrick.

Link sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "Don't worry about it, it was difficult for me to pick up on other people's verbiage when I first came here. Anyway, I've set aside space for you to sleep. Please follow me."

Then, seemingly at his verbal command, the doors swung open, and the two walked inside. As the doors shut behind them, Erdrick noticed the crest that had been in the courtyard also stood in the middle of the foyer. Link pressed some buttons on a keypad he had on his wrist as they stepped into the middle of the crest. Another flash of light ensued, except this time when they were in a bedroom when it dissipated. Two lush looking king-sized beds occupied the room, with space in between them. One of the beds was occupied by a small child, who murmured and turned at their sudden entrance. Link nonchalantly gestured at the space between the beds as he flopped into his own. Erdrick nodded, getting as comfortable as he could.

I've slept in worse inns, that's for sure thought Erdrick with a grin as he drifted off to sleep.