Hydras Imperatoris

Shortly after Maia was founded, the coastal town was besieged by a horrifying creature swimming up the shore, its five reptilian heads making short work of the guards. That is, until one man took charge and directed the disparate defenders to strike in rapid succession, overwhelming the beast before it could recover. He would become the First King of Maia. Since those days and the establishment of the town's monarchy, the Heir to the Throne’s final trial before inheritance would be to prove their might, leadership, and resourcefulness by leading a small band of their most trusted to the hydra’s lair to the south and conquering one of the beasts. 
This tradition was carried on into the Maia'desh Empire for each new Imperator, and is represented in the Imperial Crest.