A/N: heres a halloween treat for you...set to the song ghost riders in the sky by spiderbait...i suggest listen to it as you read..it really inspired this story bit and gives you a awesome image of Fili.

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Its said that Middle Earth was built on legends. Tall tales that help us make sense of things to great or too terrifying to believe. This is the legend of the Ghost Riders of Mahal.

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"Faster! Hes gaining on us!" the man screamed as the ghostly figure galloped closer and closer towards the truck..its eyes blazed with blue fury...golden hair was whipping in the wind behind him as the fiery beast galloped under him. Runes writhing across his bare chest and down his muscular arms...holding twin blazing swords that had blue fire licking its way along it..casting shadows upon him. His snarling visage chilled the men inside the truck as their sweat of fear permeated the interior of the dust covered truck...only one of those inside held no fear for she knew he was the answer to her heartfelt prayer.

Earlier that evening..it was just like any other night Callie and her parents knew as they drove from the theater and back home which laid on the outskirts of the small desert city. They were a few miles outside of the desert town when a tire blew on their car. Her father had gotten out to fix the flat when suddenly out of nowhere a car drove up and shot her father..then her mother. Callie screamed as she tried to dial her mothers phone for help, but it was to late..they busted the window and dragged the helpless girl out of the vehicle, leaving behind the dialing phone. She sobbed for them to let her go, but they only cruelly laughed at the child...thats when she screamed to the heavens for a savior to help her as they forcibly threw her into the truck and began to drive away. Suddenly there was a flash of fire in the sky, spiraling down to the earth and a mighty roar upon the wind was heard...then the sound of hooves could be heard thundering upon the ground towards them..a ominous chill heralding the riders approach. The three men in the truck felt death coming for them and they sped out...leaving a trail of dust behind them as they tried to outrace what was coming in the darkness. The sound of hooves drew closer in the dark..catching up to the speeding vehicle and finally close enough all could see the pursuer.

A smallish man like a dwarf that radiated fury and death was upon a black horse with eyes of red flames and hooves that left a burning trail behind him. He was dressed in black leather pants studded with steel and black boots with skull buckles...his blazing golden hair was wild and free except for his twin braids and mustache that was all clasped off with silver skulls..dark gauntness looking eyes blazing out as he wielded twin blades that had fire dancing along its edges within each hand. The men screamed in horror at the sight , but Callie cried out in joy at the sight of him as she shrieked out one word into the fear filled truck.

"Fili!" the fiery dwarfs eyes narrowed and he spurred his mount on faster. The girl was not afraid in the slightest for she knew the heavens had sent an ancient warrior from the days of old to save her from these vile men. Callie knew the legends of ancient Middle Earth, of how a group of men thousands of years ago ventured out on a quest to take back their home...how they all fought bravely to vanquish the monsters Azog and Bolg, of which they succeeded but at the cost of their lives. Callies father loved to read her the tales of Thorin Oakenshield and his company, every night he put her to bed..she would crow in delight to hear of these heroic warriors...especially the parts of Fili whom she always begged to hear over and over again. Her father would laugh at her but he read it each time to her joy...afterwards she would fall asleep and dream of a golden haired blue eyed warrior standing strong...guarding her from any nightmares. Now here she was in danger and her golden warrior was coming for her.

Fili was drawing close but it seemed not enough..he growled in anger then throwing back his head he roared out. "Nadad be'el! Men kaglem forsja!" (brother above! give me aid!) and then from the skies a shaft of fire shot down ...spearing a tire. The car jerked sideways, almost tipping over but it stablized as it slowed..then came to a stop. The men inside locked the doors...making sure the windows were up in hopes to keep this chilling vision outside. Fili circled his mount around and around the truck...eyeing those within with a menacing smile upon his lips..periodically he would trail his sword upon the metal that emitted a high pitched grating sound making all inside cringe and cover their ears. Filis grin was icy as he eyed each man inside as they cowered in those seats..his blazing blue eyes fell upon the girl who smiled at him and his face softened at the sight of her..then hardening once more as he growled deeply at the men..pointing his sword at each one in turn.

"Not innocent." his voice was rough and growly. "You took something of mine." all eyes turned to look at the little girl who smiled at the monster outside the window. Suddenly the men began to push the girl swiftly out of the vehicle in hopes of saving themselves..the moment she was out she ran to Fili who tenderly lifted Callie into his arms and rode off with her into the night. The men breathed out a sigh of relief at their evasion of death...looking up they all smiled at one another. With no warning, the top of the truck was ripped off with a screeching of metal, exposing the men inside to the night as they screamed in terror..peering up they saw a pair of blazing blue eyes gazing down in glacial coldness. The three men burst from the truck to escape this nightmarish creature as they split up...running in different directions. Neither made it far as they all stopped in their tracks at what they saw...there walking out of the darkness was two other men...both dark haired and eyes blazing with fire within...one had dark red fires and the other was just as blue as Filis. Their clothing was similiar to the golden haired one..black leather pants with steel studs..same black boots with silver skulls. The older dark hair had a single braid on either side of his head bearing skull end clasps and a large stunning sword in hand...while the younger of the two didnt have braids in his wild dark hair. The only visible skull to be seen was his earring and upon his bow where was seen tortured creatures writhing upon it.

"Ha ha..look what we have here Rider Fili. Three little rats trying to scurry away." the older man gave a chilling laugh as he slowly walked closer..his sword slung over his shoulders as if it didnt weigh anything.

"It seems Rider Fili you have caught three very nasty critters here. How do you suggest we deal with this filth?" the younger dark haired dwarf had a his bow in his hand..an arrow readied to shoot if any of the men ran. Fili looked at both men for a brief moment then refocused upon the trash before him..he snarled at them.

"Rider Thorin..Rider Kili...thank you for your assistance. Lets end this." with matching snarls they each turned to the men who were trembling as they spoke gibberish..faces turning white in fear. It was Kili who stirred them up when he had stepped closer to one of the men and spoke.

"Boo" with that one word they screamed and tried to run away...hearing laughter behind them getting closer. The first man to die was introduced to hell by Kilis arrow through his heart...which at the moment of contact , the mans back arched as he burst into flames..a hand shot up from the ground and grabbed the screaming man into its hand...dragging him down into the earth below. In another part, several feet away from the truck the other man was blocked from running as Thorin slowly advanced towards him...sword arching around his body with deadly speed...cutting into the air the ancient rune for ~Condemened~. The mans whimpered as he saw the blade descending down...carving through his body with ease as if it was a hot knife slicing through butter..he couldnt scream as his body lit up in a pillar of flames, turning him into ash that blew away on the wind.

Both dwarven riders turned to watch the blond rider as he faced down the last of these vile demonized men whos only goal in this life was to steal and destroy the innocents of this world. It was because of this type of people who existed that the Riders came into existance . It happened on the day they died at the battle of the five armies, those many centuries ago , that Mahal, who was watching his children down below. He saw how the three Durins stood and fought back the armies and he had an insane idea....if these three were willing to stand for right and justice then he would use them to that end...if they were so inclined. So thus formed the Ghost Riders of Mahal..wielders of Mahals fiery justice and the protectors of his children

Fili stalked around his prey...snarling...flaming swords twirling within his hands..his blazing eyes focused upon the last of the men before him. The man whipped out a knife...weaving and thrusting in a threatening manner...Fili just smiled at his pathetic attempt...slowly he began to move in then taking a step back...obviously taunting the man.

"Stop playing with him Rider...end it." Thorin rumbled out in their ancient language. "Remember, the girl is not far where you left her..unprotected." Fili took a deep breath and nodded. Quick as a flash he stalked in, his sword cutting the knife in the mans hand in half...the man whimpered as he dropped the broken blade, knowing it was over. Fili grabbed the mans shirt, pulling him close to his face..starring deeply into the mans eyes..he began to plead with the flaming demon before him.

"Please...dont kill me." Fili snarled at him...anger filling him at the sounds.

"How many innocents begged and pleaded with you for mercy?" suddenly the man spit at him..it evaporated by the flames immediately.

"F**k you!" Fili raised his lips and brought him closer to his face.

"Look into my eyes. Your soul is stained with the blood of the innocents...feel their pain." Filis blue eyes bored into the mans own...that intense gaze burning deeply into the mans soul, drawing upon all the innocents there within his mind...the screams...the pleas...all the blood that had been shed by this vile piece of filth. Fili tilted his head back in disgust and dropped him to the ground...eyes glazed over in black..trapped in the same nightmare his victims had been in. There was a gasp behind him...he turned around and saw the little girl there...eyes wide in surprise at the sight . Fili felt bad that she saw what happened...she took a step towards him...he held his hand up to stop her...Callies sweet voice flowed over to him.

"Im not afraid...not of you ...my angel." there was some snorting behind him at that , he smiled and tried to not laugh himself.

"Little one, we are not like those bleeding hearts. We are the hammers of Mahals vengeance ...striking a blow to any and all who bring harm to his children."

"But im not one of his children...am I?" her eyes held a note of questions within them...he smiled at her.

"You called to him...he answered by sending us. So long as you believe and give him your voice, he will call you one of his own."suddenly the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance, coming closure...he smiled, knowing the phone call the child tried to place earlier, before they had ripped her out of the car, went through. "We have to go...help is coming now. You will be safe now, little one." his name was called by Thorin with urgency behind it..he nodded and raised his hand like the other two were doing and their mounts, two horses and a motorcycle, came to their side...flames for eyes and hooves and skull design bike.

"Will I ever see you again?" her innocent eyes gazed up at him with hope.

"Whenever injustice is being done to Mahals children..you will find us there protecting the innocent...the spirits of Mahals vengence."

"Fili." Thorin barked out for him to make haste and all three swiftly mounted their hellish rides. Thorin turned to look at the two upon their fiery beasts with a cocky smirk. "Can you two keep up?" they both snorted at him with looks of ~you serious~ upon their faces...he laughed at them. "Then lets ride." with that they rode away into the night...leaving a blazing trail behind as the little girl looked on...then just as they became tiny beacons of light to her eyes they suddenly shot up into the sky like arrows..disappearing just as quickly as they had come.

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Yippie I ohhh ohh ohh

Yippie I aye ye ye

Ghost Riders in the sky