A/N: As always much love and gratitude to Katrina for her amazing work with this and for polishing this into something more then just my mad ramblings :)

SPN: Legacy and Heritage

Chpt. 3B: Hell's Border

Ohio - September 1835

The sound of hoof beats carried on the air in the dry heat of the summer afternoon. As the rider entered the gravel driveway of the small farm it drew quickly to a stop and its rider dropped heavily to the ground.

"Samuel!" Elias Remington called out across the bone dry front lawn. "Samuel, are you there? I come with news."

Colt stepped on to the wide wooden front porch, shading his eyes against the midday sun. "Elias! It has been some time since I saw you last, my friend."

Colt watched as he approached the door slapping his travel stained overcoat leaving clumps and clouds of dirt in his wake. "Sam." He stopped at the base of the front steps and looked closely at his old friend. "Do you have the wards that I sent you?"

Colt gave a quick nod and stretched a hand out in welcome to Remington clasping it tightly in greeting. "Come in, I have your letters in my study." Samuel held an arm out to the open doorway of the farm house.

Remington stepped through the doorway and moved quickly down the dimly lit hallway leaving dusty footprints and more dried dirt clods in his wake. "How fare your sister and brother-in-law? I do not see them," Remington asked quietly as he entered the study.

"They are away at a church social. They will return later," Colt answered as he followed close behind Remington into the study.

After a long pause, Remington looked to Colt, his face unreadable in the afternoon dimness. "I have ridden hard these last few days to reach you. Kitteridge has been killed by one of the demons followers. It is only by the grace of God that I managed not to perish as well."

With those words Remington dropped into a chair in front of Colt's wide oak desk and looked up at the ceiling smiling grimly at the intricate design painted there. "I see you have heeded my advice."

Colt nodded as he slipped into the chair behind the desk, casually reaching into an open drawer as he did. With no more then a flick of his wrist he sent a light smattering of liquid drops at the man across from him. "In filiolus nomen EGO subigo thee."(1)

Remington stared back at him a long moment before nodding his approval with another grim smile. Colt relaxed back into his seat and returned the smile, "I had to be sure."

Remington only nodded again, his acceptance obvious as he reached into his coat and pulled out a slim book and several sheaves of paper. "You should ward the house as well, for things are only going to get worse, my friend." Dropping the papers on the desk he opened the book passing it to Colt. "I have found these wards recently as well, take them and use them please."

"What has happened, Elias?"

"I have been following a trail of possessions through two states, Samuel, it is terrible," Elias quietly spoke as he watched Samuel trace a finger over the worn leather of the book cover with his finger. "It has sent its followers to release it, I know it."

Colt stopped all movement and stared at Remington. "What happened to Kitteridge?"

"Murdered by one possessed," Elias' choked voice shuddered with the horror of his memories as he shook his head slowly. "All of them, Sam, down to the babe in it is cradle."

Samuel quietly cursed as he watched his friend silently battle with his memories. The time apart showed greatly on the younger man, once again it seemed as though he had aged a decade ahead of the twenty year old man that he was. Unable to do more then provide quiet comfort, Samuel waited and watched. Finally, unable to take the silent pain, Samuel broke the silence. "Did you receive my letter then? Is that why you came?"

"The last letter I received told me you were moving here to your brother-in-laws farm to begin work on the revolvers." Remington looked up with hopeful eyes. "I have been moving too much for reliable letters I am sorry, Samuel."

"Ah, well then, I can at least give you some good news." Samuel stood and walked across the room to a tall wooden cabinet that lined the wall. Unlocking one of the doors he reached in and retrieved a box from the shelf. Turning carefully back to Remington, he handed a dark wooden box to him. "There are five as you asked, one for each of the families, this one is yours."

Samuel watched as Remington took the box from him with a frown, his long tanned finger tracing across the deeply etched pentagram once before he opened the lid. "With Kitteridge dead," Remington murmured pausing a moment his breath catching tight with those words, "we will have to find a replacement for him. There must be one for each point if there is to be balance and strong protection."

Remington let out a long, slow breath as he gazed at the beautiful weapon that lay nestled in velvet inside its case. "It is amazing, Sam." As his hand ghosted down the barrel of the gun with reverence he whispered, "I can feel its power."

"There are thirteen bullets for each; they are special – blessed silver with the hollow tips filled with White Holly, Elder wood, Rue, and Angelica Root," Colt answered as he stared over Remington's shoulder at his creation. "The handle is White Holly as well." He watched as Remington's fingers caressed the handle and traced the pentagram placed there as well.(2)

"Non timebo mola," Remington breathed out as his fingers traced down the barrel.(3)

"I will fear no evil. I thought that perhaps including a bit of God's blessing upon it could not hurt." Samuel gave a small shrug at the impressed look his friend shot him. "Eli, I truly believe these will work, they will give us that advantage that we so desperately need." Resting his hand on his friends shoulder they shared a determined glance before they both returned to the marvel resting quietly, for the moment, in their hands. A low rumble of thunder gathered unnoticed in the distance as the afternoon light dimmed in the study.

"Samuel!" A female cry pierced the quiet and both men looked toward the hallway in surprise. "Samuel, come quickly something is wrong," Ellie's voice called to her brother.

As the men left the study a loud boom of thunder sounded across the plains and rumbled through the farm house. Remington grabbed his friends' arm to stop him. "No, Sam, wait!"

Samuel looked from the hand gripping his arm tightly up to his friends face. "Elias, let go. I am needed outside." Another rumble shook the small farm house and the pelting sound of rain on the roof suddenly filled the air.

"Samuel!" his sister cried again from the front of the house. "Help me, Samuel!"

"No, Sam, something is not right." Remington turned wide eyes toward the door then shoved his friend away before he could move toward the front door. He turned quickly back into the study, grabbed the gun and quickly loaded it.

Samuel watched surprised as Remington ran toward the front door and disappeared into the front yard. "Elias, wait!" he called out as he moved to follow the other man.

The sky was black as it rained hail down on Samuel causing him to slip down the steps as he ran out from under the roofs protection onto the front porch. Remington stood on the gravel driveway, arm outstretched with the new gun pointed, not at his sister, but his brother-in-law. "Henry?" Samuel's eyes swung wildly around the front yard trying to find his sister and the reason she had called for his help. It was a moment, though, before Colt sorted out the tableau before him and finally managed to ask in confusion, "Where is Ellie?"

Henry slowly straightened from his slouch against the carriage side and looked toward Colt, an unfamiliar smile on his face. When their eyes met, Samuel gave a horrified gasp as Henry's eye flipped black as the darkest night and an unearthly cold laugh filled the air around them.

"Samuel Colt," 'Henry' drawled around the wicked laugh. "What a pleasure to finally meet you and I find you here with Elias Remington. Oh, the fortunate one I am, two birds, one stone and all that.""

"Enough, be quiet demon," Elias growled out. Samuel could barely make out his muttered prayers that apparently were holding the demon in place as much as could be without the aid of a physical trap.

"Do you not want to know who I am, Elias? I know you. I know you so very well," the demon taunted.

"I do not care what you think you know," Elias answered evenly despite the strain that was beginning to show on his face. "Samuel, go back in the house."

"But, Elias," the demon purred as he turned his attention back. "I have traveled so far and waited so long - to see you both."

"Then it will be for nothing as you will be returning to hell in no time." Remington's eyes never left the demon as he cocked the gun before calling over his shoulder, "Samuel, please go back in the house."

Samuel stumbled forward a step as he realized suddenly why Remington was waiting for him to leave. "Elias," he took another step toward his friend as he looked toward Henry. "He is my brother-in-law, Ellie's husband," the horror was clear in his voice as the cold rain poured down from the sky above.

"I am most sorry, Samuel," Remington calmly replied. "However, there is little left of the man you knew now, if he is even alive still." The regret and determination rang clearly in Remington's voice as he stared at the demon before them. "Please, Samuel, go back inside."

A laugh more chilling then the air around them rang out then. "Oh, he is most definitely still alive in here." The demon smirked as he looked between the two men. Its eyes narrowed suddenly as the demon saw something though in Remington's face, it clicked Henry's hand causing the gun to fly out of Remington's hand toward the porch before freezing him to the spot.

Samuel watched as the demon turned its attention fully toward him then – a second flick of its wrist freezing him in place in that moment. "Your brother-in-law," the demon began to slowly pace toward him as it spoke, "is in here. Trapped in great pain and despair I can assure you, fully aware of everything that is going on." A purely evil smile transformed Henry's face so completely it was unrecognizable as it spoke. "He blames you for all this by the way." The demon stopped, now only steps from Samuel as it stared out of Henry's eyes at him.

"Oh, it is all so very close to being unbearable." A dark laugh erupted from the demon and it settled heavily in Colt's belly as he stared in horror. "Soon, so soon the wait will be over," the demon nearly sang as it studied Colt in the dim light of the downpour. "You see once I am finished here with you, Samuel Colt, I shall finally get to play with your friend there. And I, we, have all waited so very long to get ourselves into him, so very long Samuel Colt."

"Do not listen, Samuel," Remington managed to call out finally as he struggled against the invisible bonds that held them both.

"What?" Samuel pushed the sound past the lump of horror in his throat. "What are you talking about?"

"No, Sam! Do not listen," Remington called trying to turn toward Colt. "Demon's do no more than lie, Samuel!"

"Oh?" the demon smirked looking over his shoulder for a long moment, his face hidden from Samuel in the rain and dim light of the storm. He watched the demon give a slight shudder and for a moment Samuel felt the bonds around him begin to loosen before the demon flicked his hand out toward Remington, sending him flying toward the porch and through its railings with a pained grunt. "Much better, now we can have a private talk." The demon looked back to Samuel with a satisfied smirk. "Ah, Samuel, you are a smart man, tell me do you really think we only lie?"

Samuel stared horrified at his friend who lay as through dead among the splintered wood of the railing. Finally dragging his eyes back to possessed man he glared at the demon. "I think you will say whatever you think will cause the most pain and trouble. Lies or truth – though it will not be a whole truth I am sure."

A mocking laugh filled the air as the demon slowly reached toward Samuel. "Oh you do not disappoint me at all, Samuel Colt. It almost seems a shame to destroy you. And yet the fun I will have with Elias as I use your face to break him in his last moments – it is too sweet for words.

Samuel tried his best to straighten as the invisible grip tightened around him. "If this is your plan," Samuel growled with as much disdain as he could manage. "I think it a sad and useless thing. Really I am disappointed in you and," he looked at the demon in front of him, "your kind."

The demon snarled as he slapped Samuel harshly across the face. "You will show me respect pathetic human!" the demon spat out as he stepped back and looked Samuel up and down with disgust. "So lost in your petty lives you think nothing can be as grand as you? My master has moved your kind like pieces upon a chess board all these long days and you have no idea. Finally everything is in place and things are as they were meant to be. You will soon kneel before us human as you were always meant to!" The spit nearly flew from its mouth as he finished his speech.

Colt looked on calmly as the demon settled before him, the shine of a knife flashing out of the corner of his eye. Before anything else could happen though, Henry gave a strangled groan as a bullet smashed through the back of his skull and came out through the front of his jaw. The gun report echoed through the rain soaked yard with a startling bang. Colt's eyes followed the body as it slumped to the ground and shuddered twice as a web of light chased across it in flashes.

"I am sorry, Sam." Remington's voice drew Colt's eyes back up to the porch. Standing now with the new gun still smoking in his hand, Remington looked up from the deceased man with pain clouded eyes at his friend.

"The demon is dead?" Colt managed as he looked once more toward the body of his brother-in-law sprawled on the muddy ground.

"I believe so."

Colt's head came up sharply at that. "You think so? Lord have mercy, Eli! My brother-in-law is dead, by our hand and you are not sure the demon is dead?"

Elias wavered slightly reaching for the rail that remained for support. "It did not react as anything I have seen before, Samuel. Usually it pours from its host, killing it then I might add, and moves on. That is all I can say, Samuel." Wavering once more, Elias attempted to move toward Samuel but his legs gave way sending him crashing to the porch.

"Eli!" Samuel cried finally shaking himself into motion. Running for the porch he cleared the steps quickly and dropped down next to his friend who lay on his side, one arm stretched out under his head. Samuel turned him more to his stomach and gave a groan at the blood pouring from his back.

"Damn it, Elias! Why can you not just say you are injured," Samuel grunted as he adjusted the heavy limbs so that he could get a grip on him and drag his friend into the house.

With only a bit of difficulty Samuel managed to get the lanky man into the house and the back bedroom. Settling him onto the bed, he quickly looked over the other mans wounds. Swelling and bruising was already appearing across the lower back where he had taken the brunt of the impact of the porch railing. After cleaning the wound, Samuel bound it and quickly set about stitching up the nasty cut across the left shoulder that was also bleeding greatly. With this tended to, Samuel knew there was nothing more than waiting to be done for Elias. With a great sigh Colt stood and prepared to deal with his brother-in-laws body.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Section Notes:

(1) In Gods name I compel thee

(2) The regular bullets are consecrated iron with Verivert oil and angelica root. Silver bullets with Rue for werewolves. As a note I just always envisioned Colt with an armory of experimental bullets and weapons with different combos of herbs and metals. It just never really sat right with me that there would be only 12 bullets for the Colt. I mean really? That's all the evil they thought was out there? I find that hard to accept.

(3) Psalm 12