Title: The Breath of Life
Author: landofthekwt
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Favorite Character
Word Count 1140
Pairing: Kohaku(dead)/ Kikyou's light
Genre: Even a zombie needs love
Warning: Character death
Summary: Kikyou gives Kohaku back his life
One minute he had a future. His sister had said it was OK for him to live. He felt a sudden sharp pain and then nothing only darkness.
He awoke because the light was so bright that it was impossible to keep his eyes shut. Finally when his eyes fluttered open he blinked involuntarily, blinded by the light.
"Wake up Kohaku. We do not have time for you to lie about"
Kohaku sat up and shaded his eyes. The voice sounded so familiar. So formal. So authoritative So forceful.
As he looked closer, the shape began to take focus. He gasped as the familiar garb of the priestess became visible. Kikyou was dead. That could mean only one thing.
"Am I dead, Kikyou?"
The figure hesitated before answering " I am not Kikyou. I am that part of Kikyou which was left in the shard when she purified it."
Kohaku digested the answer and pursued his original query. " Am I dead?"
The being laughed and flickered at the same time. The effect was almost lyrical. " It is hard for me to tell I have never been alive or dead. I am merely an echo of what Kikyou was not Kikyou."
"How is it that I can see you now? I have never seen you before"
" I have been with you since the first moment that my mistress touched you Maybe your perspective has changed."
Perspective. He had been before. Maybe he was dead now. His time with Naraku has shown him if nothing else that dead was not dead.
"Do you know where Kikyou is?"
"My mistress let go of her attachment to this world. She has ascended. I remain in this world to do what must be done for her."
Kohaku thought for a moment Kikyou had placed her light in Kohaku for the purpose of killing Naraku. When he first realized this, he tried to use this knowledge to kill Naraku. He had failed miserably. Everyone had chided him for his rash behavior. Kagome told him not to waster Kikyou's light.
It was faith in the mission that Midoriko had given him that caused him to accompany Kikyou. Being with a dead person was actually comforting. Knowing that she intended to use him to kill Naraku had given him a sense of purpose.
A chance to atone for all that he had done on behalf of Naraku. When Kikyou died he felt lost. Discovering that her light remained in the shard connected him to Kikyou again. He could complete that task that she and Midoriko had set out with him.
Now the task was at an end. The shard was gone. As soon he awoke he knew that he was dead. He had been to hell. This place did not resemble hell in the least. Where was he?
" I am sorry that I failed Kikyou. I was not able to kill Naraku with the light in the shard."
"I know I was there. We came so close, but that is not why I am here now. Kikyou wishes to make amends. She used your shard to try to kill Naraku knowing that it would kill you."
"I did it willingly and would do it again." cried Kohaku
"I think that is what troubled her most. She felt that she was leading you like a lamb to the slaughter. You went without fear and without reservation. She was the one who faltered. There were always excuses not to use your shard. She was always willing to let Inuyasha try to kill Naraku even though she knew that a sword could not kill him"
"She should not worry about me. My only regret is that I died without carrying my mission."
" She heard your prayer."
"What prayer?"
"Your prayer to your sister. You asked her if it was OK to live. This is her answer to your prayer That is why I am here. You gave your life to Kikyou to try to kill Naraku. In order to atone Kikyou must give that life back to you."
"You must be realize how important you are to Kikyou. If you had come to her when she was alive she would have healed your soul. Instead, she was willing to trade your life for Naraku's. If you die now, Kikyou's soul will never find peace."
" Why? What of our mission? What of Narkau? Was it all in vain?"
"Do you think it was in vain, Kohaku? Do you think all your efforts to kill Narkau were unappreciated by Kikyou? She felt kinship with you which is why the mission bothered her.
In life she was willing to carry it through to the end, but she has passed on. Others must bear the responsibility for the will step forward and deliver the final blow. The light in the Jewel still glows even though Narkau thinks that he had won. That is our advantage. Who has won will not be revealed until he is dead."
" Did Kikyou suffer when she died?"
"Kikyou was happy when she died. She was in the arms of the man she loved. They kissed and he told her that he loved her before she passed."
" Did Kikyou leave a message for me?"
The shimmering woman nodded and stepped forward. She pulled Kohaku into her arms and kissed him on the lips. It seemed to him that she was giving him back the breath of life.
"I give you back your life. Live Kohaku."
With that the woman slowly merged with Kohaku until there was nothing but a glow to his own body. He felt himself falling toward the earth and reached out to steady himself.
When he touched the earth he heard voices. He was in his sister's arms. Slowly he opened his eyes. Sango, Inuyasha and Kagome all stared at him in amazement as if they never seen anyone brought back from the dead.
Kohaku was subdued as they flew back to Kaede's village. He realized that Kikyou had given him his . Her light had become his life. He would not waste that life that had been given him.
Although his sister might try to prevent him from going to the last battle, he knew that he needed to go. Kikyou was now a part of him. He knew that she would want to be there to witness the light kill Naraku
For now he would burn incense at her grave to thank her for what she had done and to promise her that he would not waste the life she had given him. Her sacrifice would not be in vain. Narkau would die and the mission would be complete. Her soul could be at peace at last.