A follower of Occim believed they must wound Lemuria to live safely on it. His name was Virvinucht, father of Saia. Saia was an obedient girl, doing what her father wished.
Virvinucht walked along the red shores of Dosmit, mourning his slaughtered brethren. On its shores, he found the egg of a hydra emerging from the red sand and froth of the sea. Collecting it, he cursed Lemuria, saying, “With this monster, I vow to destroy this land and all those who call it home. May the children of this land be eaten up, and may the men be crushed. I curse this land and wish it death.”
Virvinucht hatched the hydra in his home. He locked the hydra in a closet, to hide it from those who would try to find it. He put his daughter Saia in charge of feeding it.
Saia grew fond of the hydra. Many Lemurian children would throw stones at her, so she spent most of her time at home with the beast. She petted it and fed it all she could. Her father supported her love for the hydra, thinking that she would be its master. Virvinucht told Saia, “You must name the beast, that it may know your commands.” Saia was delighted with the responsibility and chose the name Marquis for her ward. As the hydra grew, Saia dreamed of riding his back as he ate the children who threw stones. She dreamed of a new Lemuria since she could not remember Atlantis.
Other followers of Occim learned of Virvinucht’s plans and tried to dissuade him. They told him Marquis could not be controlled. They wanted to preserve the Atlantean way as much as he did, but it should be done in secret.
“Are you ashamed of yourselves?” Virvinucht asked.
“No, we are sensible. It is easier to change from the inside than to rebuild after destruction. We will fester in the dark places and wait for an opportune time to live anew.”
“The opportune time is now, I shall not miss it,” Virvinucht said.
Followers of Laebashtis learned of Virvinucht’s plans and tried to dissuade him. They told him that Marquis could not be controlled. They wanted a new Lemuria as much as he did, but he was approaching it the wrong way. Advocacy for themselves and strengthening Lemuria was the proper way.
“Are you saying Atlantis is dead?” Virvinucht asked.
“Yes, it has sunk into the sea. We are on new land.”
“Are you saying we must throw away our traditions?” Virvinucht asked.
“No, we must adapt them, the same way we adapted on Atlantis to new problems. This is no different, Atlantis can still live on.”
“It is different, and I refuse to succumb to this land.” Virvinucht proclaimed.
After some time, Marquis was large and could barely fit in the closet. Virvinucht starved Marquis for a little time. He vowed that the beast’s hunger would destroy Lemuria.
Saia felt sorry for Marquis and spent much time by the closet singing him lullabies.
One morning as Saia passed, Marquis used his power and hunger to overcome the closet door. He dragged Saia into the closet with his jaws. Saia screamed and cried, telling Marquis to put her down. But the beast was too young to be compelled by magic. Marquis, using his intelligence, closed the cabinet behind him.
Virvinucht heard Saia’s screams and came to save her. He heard her cry for Marquis to stop because he was hurting her and that he shouldn’t eat it.
Before he could reach the closet, Virvinucht heard a terrible snapping and tearing noise. Saia’s voice came from the closet, but it was no longer crying. She asked calmly for Marquis to give her some, that she wanted to make sure he only got the best meat.
Virvinucht opened the closet to find Marquis and Saia each eating one of Saia’s legs. As Saia’s soul faded, she told her father that Marquis had good taste. She said she didn’t mind because she loved Marquis. She gave the leg she tasted to her beloved monster.
Marquis, satisfied by his meal, tried to find reassurance from Saia. But Saia could give none. Crying out, Marquis sprung forth from his closet, crushing Virvinucht under his feet.
That night a great calamity befell the Atlantean community in Lemuria. A great hydra named Marquis, crying out in grief, destroyed many Atlanteans before going deeper into Lemuria. Heroes and armies fell before him, each kill done out of grief rather than hunger. Every head Marquis lost in battle was replaced by two, his power growing with each wound.
At the center of Lemuria’s capital, Marquis broke through the gates to find a grand, old hydra standing before him. This sagely hydra had two hundred and eleven heads and towered over Marquis. It wore armour around its chest and back.
The old hydra said, “I am Gavos. Welcome, Marquis. I need an heir, for my heart grows old and weak. Join me as my disciple or die.”
Marquis was still too young to speak but growled like an animal. He fought Gavos valiantly and defeated him by tearing out his heart. Exhausted, Marquis fell asleep.
When he woke, he was instated as the favoured agent of the Lemurian emperor. The Lemurians raised Marquis for the rest of his childhood and taught him magic. He learned how to rule over the people without the use of his strength, softening his heart. After mourning their dead, the Atlanteans returned to their lives as refugees and second-class citizens in Lemuria.
We Are Terra 