A man named Seth Sanders
A hero in his own rite
After years of searching hard
Will get his wish tonight

He's known about the fearsome three
That protect us while we sleep
For going over thirty years
Yet he's never heard a peep

He advertises nightly
Sure that a special group will see
The secret in his menu
Of his true identity

He builds a man up with drink
He can break that same man down
He stirs in strength and vitality
Or clears men of their frown

The Serpent winds through the words
Alerting on the sign
On every vital noun and verb
That says he's not benign

Yes a dangerous man this soul could be
If in his heart he chose
To take a slightly darker path
And not see people grow

A message arrived without a stamp
With the morning post
That a special drink will be required tonight
By a man who is a ghost

But before the drink is tasked out
He must pass a test
The client has to see his work
Is never second best

At noon he waits in the alleyway
He's been told he will soon meet
The one he has been searching for
In a private meet-and-greet

At eight past noon he feels a pain
As his arm detatches from its base
He screams in pain as it grows back
Anger on his face

"You've past the test, and we apologize
But we had to be sure"
The voice rings out in boisterous laughs
"But it seems you are the sir"

Out steps the man from just behind
The master of the vial
He is half the size of our dear Seth
And wearing a big smile

"I, my friend, am Titan X"
Says the man so bold
"And a friend or two need a special vial
You can make, or so we're told"

He passes a parchment with some notes
As Seth regains his arm
"Though my friends can calm a storm
They physically can be harmed"

"When The Sleeper awakened her
And cured her of her pain
He broke his curse and began to die
He was mortal once again"

"She knew the sacrifice that he made
And knew how to make the brew
But now that she doesn't mix and serve
They will come to you."

"One glass per day, no more, no less
And their mortality lies in wait
Until the day they miss their dose
And someone seals their fate"

"You have our trust, the skill and notes
We'll see you at ten tonight"
Titan X then takes his leave
As he jumps and takes a flight.

Seth stands alone in an alleyway
Frozen in awe and shock
Thinking of the happenings
And how his legs have locked

He makes his way through chaos
As he brings focus to the list
He shops for ingredients
And puts them in his fist

When at last the time has come
He stirs the secret brew
And deep within the mugs of ale
They start glowing blue

"I'll take those,"the Titan says
As he walks them to the couple
That Seth has seen a hundred times
And they've never given trouble.

"You have our thanks, good man, good soul"
Says the woman full of wonder
As the Serpentine Soul watches them leave
As they are getting younger.

Geoffrey Shelton
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