Author's Notes: The Forbidden Spell, Part 2! *duh duh dun*And special thanks to Rainbowed-Sunned-Spirit for adding me to your C2! Thanks! :)

"Why did they have to leave, youkai-flea?"Kaede asked curiously.

Myoga's face went blank with surprise and Kagome stared at them both questioningly. What was going on here?

Then, gathering up the strength to hear more, Kagome asked, "Myoga, what are you hiding from us?

Myoga sighed. "Very well...you must know, there have been rumors, but what Miroku saw, and Inuyasha's transformation, seems to confirm my suspicions."

"Which are...?" Kagome urged.

Myoga sighed again. "First, I must tell you the story of the Forbidden Spell."

Kagome, confused, looked at Kaede, but did not see any comprehension in her face, either.

Myoga coughed, re-capturing Kagome's attention, and burst into speech. His speech flowed like a well-versed nursery rhyme, fluid as if it had been told thousands of times, each to a different baffled audience.

"Hundreds of years ago, the most evil of youkai kind were being hunted down by groups of strong, formidable demon hunters. Naturally, the youkai sought a way to spurn their advances. The solution they found was quite...effective. They sought out powerful magic-castors to enchant them-"

"- you mean like mikos?" Kagome asked.

'No, Lady Kagome, not entirely- these people were darker, more like sorcerers..."Myoga stated, face downcast, "I would compare them to the sorcerer Urasue, the one who brought Kikyo back to life."

Kagome flinched a bit at Kikyo's name. "Oh...continue, please."

"As I was saying, they sought out powerful beings to enchant them, so, in case that they were destroyed in battle, they could return. The enchanters gave them the power that they wanted with a spell, fearing for their lives if they refused the youkai."

"This became a problem - so many youkai were surviving the demon hunters' attacks that groups of villagers consulted an extremely powerful magic-castor, powerful beyond all the others, but she was not dark, like the rest. This is the one that I would compare to a miko, Kagome."

"The enchantress was very brave, so she used her own power to curse the spell and created an "ultimate punishment" for whoever decided to cast the soul-saving spell, though unfortunately, she had to forfeit her own life in the process," Myoga added sadly.

Kaede tsked. "Poor thing," she said, nodding her head.

"Yes, but she did it all for the good of her people," Myoga agreed. "She is someone to be admired more than to be pitied."

"What was the punishment?" Kagome asked, inquisitive.

"No one knows." Myoga replied simply. "It's a mystery."

Myoga proceeded with the story. "...and so the spell became known as the Forbidden Spell, never to enchant anyone again, at least, until -"

"...now," Kagome finished, a horrified look her in eyes. "You...you think that Naraku had this spell cast on him?" she asked shrilly, almost scared of the answer.

"Yes. After the master's transformation and what Miroku has seen, I'm afraid there can be no doubt."

"Why would th-"

"-because the Forbidden Spell has a side effect...it causes the power of nearby youkai to increase, which would explain the master's transformation. His hanyou body couldn't stand the boost..."

"B-but how does this spell even work?"

"After the body of the said youkai is destroyed, the soul remains here, dwelling until a 'trigger' action causes it to reawaken."

"Like a...ghost?"

"Precisely! And the spirit grows in strength overtime, eventually rebuilding the body." Myoga broke of awkwardly, pausing a few seconds before finishing his statement. "I don't have any idea what would have served as the 'trigger' though..."

Kagome gulped, looking at Inuyasha's sleeping face.

"How long do we have until Naraku has his body back?"

"Maybe a month, perhaps less..."

A month? "How do we stop it?"

"I...don't know. You would have to ask someone more knowledgeable about the magic involved, Lady Kagome..."

"Do ye know anyone?" asked Kaede. She certainly knew no one in the area that would fit such a 'sorcerer' description.

Myoga heaved a sigh.

"There is an elderly woman, about a week's travel east of this village, who the information has been past down to over the generations, but if you intend to question her, you'll want to wait until the master is well..."

*flashback over*

Across the hut, Inuyasha mumbled Kagome's name so clearly she thought he had waken up at last, having been out of it for a day now. But then he rolled over onto his other side, sleepily mumbling her name again...

"Kagome. Y-yes. I-I really do love her." He mumbled dreamily.

Kagome gasped and a tear slide down her cheek. He loves me!

She looked down on his face again. Oh, how I wish you would wake up and tell me that when you actually know you're saying it, Inuyasha, she thought exasperatedly.

Inuyasha rolled over again, restless, as Kaede came into the hut. "Good, good, he's moving. He should wake any time, child, so don't fret," she called; mistaking Kagome's frazzled appearance for worry.

"A-all thanks to you and your herbs, Kaede." Kagome shot her a grateful look. She got up awkwardly to face the elder miko. "Thanks, again, Kaede."

"No thanks are required," she said kindly, before getting a mischievous look in her dusty eyes. "Besides, I heard that you had a big part in helping the boy..."

Confused, Kagome looked back at her. To her surprise, Kaede winked at her. "I heard all about how you saved him, from-"

Red-faced, Kagome blurted out, "Miroku!"

Kaede nodded, chuckling, while glancing down at Inuyasha again.

Inuyasha moaned causing both Kagome and Kaede to jump, and then the hanyou sat up, saying "Wha-"

That was all he got out before Kagome ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. His face turned pink.

"Inu-Inuyasha! You idiot, why did you h-have to go and al-almost die!" She sobbed into his shoulder.

Kaede, thinking that they needed some time, quietly slipped out of her hut.

Author's Notes: Well, this chapter was definitely fun to write. I loved making up the 'Forbidden Spell' ^_^ Please leave some reviews, they encourage faster updates! *cough, cough* If you were curious about what Inuyasha was dreaming about, you'll find out soon!