>>17989566Without immortality, all of the adult villagers die, leaving the previously unaware children to grow up, be taught of the 'monstrous', 'demonic', 'child-hating' lummox hiding underground that can only be appeased by the death of witches throughout. Thus, messages continue to flow day after day, week after week, month after month.
All horribly misconstrued.
The children who grow up build a new town--New Flozamdique, on the remains of the old one, and they treat the Herbicicide worse than their parents did. Sometimes out of contempt, sometimes out of genuine fear.
A good chunk of witches are eventually hunted down and killed, or get chased off to their safehaven town, but the crow who keeps a hold of the Herbicicide's Wallflower keeps a good grip on it.
Those completely neutral to the situation construct an entirely new settlement far off from both towns, though it doesn't stop some negatives from moving in anyway.
Still heartbroken, the Herbicicde draws itself occasionally stretching its vines above surface, to say at the very least 'Hey, I still exist!', or something akin to that.
They interpret this as attacks, and it comes to a boiling point about fifty-five years ago. A date signified with two big "5s".
Around that time, an angry mob willing to go through all means necessary to have a happy beast in exchange for miraculous herbs successfully hunts and critically injures the crow, removing her immortality by stealing back the Wallflower. She lives without her youth for five years before giving in the towel and getting her eternal life through other means. It is around this time that she drops all other ties she has with anyone else.
Thus, the witch town becomes stunted in time while New Flozamdique regains its immortality.
More time passes, but nobody ever ages. Everything is the same. And even with the Wallflower back in its possession for about half a century, sure the beast no longer rages, but nothing feels right anymore.
