Apollo's Hunt

Epilogue

Hey, everyone! Just so you know this is the last chapter for this story. I can't believe that it is finally over! Or is it?...

P. S. Check out @S-StarNix and her new story, "Amber & the Secrets Hidden in the Shadows'"

Previously:
Smoke poured out of Tartarus' eyes and mouth, trying to form next to him since it was thrown out of the primordial.

Before it could however, Percy waved his symbol of power in it and if fizzled into nothing with a hiss.

"Percy?" Tartarus asked hesitantly, as if unsure whether or not he had full control.

"Peace, brother," Percy smiled. "The spirit is no more."

Tartarus cried in relief and embraced Percy in a hug. "I'm so sorry, brother," he whispered, "for everything."

"It is okay," Percy said, patting his back soothingly.

"Now," the older brother said, pulling away and looking into Percy's eyes seriously. "What's this I hear about Smelly Gabe?"

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The monsters had fled when they realized that their leader was not on their side, they panicked and ran.

They did not lose as many as Percy thought they would, as soon as they realized they won, the demigods had another bust of energy. Allowing them to defeat the monsters within their immediate vicinity.

The gods took some convincing that Tartarus was actually good and was not the one trying to destroy them but Percy managed to convinced them. Zeus was the hardest, he kept eyeing Tartarus suspiciously and only stopped when Hera whacked him on the head for staring. 

Turns out, the spirit sensed Tartarus' sadness about their father sending Percy away. He had loved Percy as a baby and being the oldest, became very protective of him for the short time he had with Percy. Once gone, Tartarus hid himself in a hole, literally and figuratively and wallowed in self pity. Mourning the fact that he had lost the unconditional love of a baby brother. When Percy had somehow ended up in the pit he had retreated to, Tartarus began to stir. But so did the spirit that clung onto his despair.

The spirit had been whispering small lies that grew with each lie until it had enough power to take control. Tartarus had enough time before the spirit took over to help a little in Percy getting out of the pit. When Percy had told him about Smelly Gabe, he was able to ignore the spirit and wrestle out of its control long enough for his magic and his body to work together to dispel the spirit.

Speaking of which, Tartarus forced Percy to tell him everything about his time with Smelly Gabe and then he made some arrangements with Hades to send the soul of Gabe Ugliano to the pit of Tartarus and throw him in. Then, once he hit the bottom, where Tartarus' serpents were waiting, he would then be taken to Tartarus' personal torture chambers.

When asked why Gabe was not in the Fields of Punishment, Hades replied with a pointed look in Percy's direction and, "I did not know of his abominations and he went straight for the line to the Fields of Asphodel." To which Tartarus responded with a stern scolding about with holding information like that.

With the war over, the gods and the campers were celebrating and that means Luke and Leo were on a sugar high. Tartarus would have joined them had Percy not dragged him away from the snack table and to the Hero's Grove to get away from the chaos happening near the campfire. Percy lay next to his brother with his head resting on the back of his trusted friend, Vindex. The stars and the moon lit the night sky brilliantly, mesmerizing Percy and turning his thoughts to Bob and Damaeson.