𝓐𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓷 | 𝕊𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥

Full Name:

∆iden

Aliases:

Aiden

My Beloved

Someone in the snowy forest

Gender:

Female

Age:

29

Species:

Human

Eye Color:

Black

Hair Color:

Black

Status:

Alive

Abilities:

Weapon Mastery

Cold Resistance

Stealth

Superhuman Strength

Superhuman Speed

Superhuman Accuracy

Superhuman Hearing

Superhuman Sight

Vast Intelligence

Associations:

Abbie (younger brother)

Boris (companion)

Katie (close friends)

∆lice (worships)

Appearance:

∆iden possesses a distinctly rugged and imposing appearance that reflects both her isolated lifestyle and the harsh environment in which she lives. She has long, straight black hair that falls well past her shoulders and frames much of her face, often hanging loosely around her body. Her hair contributes to her generally subdued and somewhat intimidating appearance, especially because it partially obscures the sides of her face and blends into the dark colors of her clothing. Atop her head, she wears a large, fluffy beige-gray ushanka that provides a stark contrast against her otherwise dark appearance. The hat has extended ear flaps that hang down along either side of her head, giving it a heavy, winter-ready appearance. On the front of the ushanka is a distinctive triangle symbol crossed by two lines, serving as one of her most recognizable accessories.

Beneath the ushanka, ∆iden has an unusual feature that further connects her to the other characters associated with the same apple-like traits: a small apple stem and leaf protrude from the top of her head. The stem is usually partially concealed by her hair and hat, but it remains visible when viewed from certain angles. Like Abbie's own stem and leaf, it appears to be a natural part of her appearance rather than an accessory she deliberately wears.

Her face is relatively simple and subdued in appearance, with large, pale eyes that normally remain half-lidded or expressionless. Her eyes give her an almost permanently exhausted or emotionally distant appearance, particularly when combined with the dark shadows created by her hair and ushanka. A large scar runs near her right eye, standing out against the otherwise muted appearance of her face. Despite the scar and the hardships she has endured, ∆iden rarely displays discomfort through her facial expression. Her face generally remains almost completely still, giving her the impression that she is constantly observing her surroundings without allowing anyone to determine what she is thinking.

Her clothing consists primarily of a dark navy-blue military-style coat. The coat is somewhat oversized and heavy-looking, extending down past her waist and providing additional protection against the cold environment surrounding her cabin. It is normally worn with only a single button fastened, leaving part of the front open and revealing the white undershirt underneath. The coat has a practical, worn appearance rather than looking especially formal or polished, with its dark coloration helping her blend into the forest and other dim environments where she spends much of her time. The sleeves extend down to her wrists, while the coat itself hangs loosely around her frame.

Around her neck, ∆iden wears a dark scarf with orange-brown accents. The scarf is wrapped securely around her neck, adding another layer of warmth to an outfit clearly designed for surviving in cold weather. Its darker colors complement the navy coat and black hair, while the warmer orange tones provide one of the few noticeable contrasts within her otherwise subdued color palette.

Underneath her coat, she wears a plain white shirt, which covers multiple scars around her torso from her time within the forest. The shirt is usually only partially visible because of the coat and scarf, but it provides a small amount of contrast beneath the layers of darker clothing. Her overall outfit is deliberately practical, with very little appearing to be worn purely for decoration. Nearly every part of her clothing seems suited to spending long periods outdoors, particularly in the cold and isolated wilderness surrounding her home.

∆iden also wears black fingerless gloves. The gloves leave portions of her fingers exposed while keeping her palms and wrists protected, allowing her to maintain dexterity while handling tools, weapons, or other objects. Their worn and practical appearance fits naturally with the rest of her clothing and reinforces the impression that ∆iden is accustomed to working with her hands and surviving without modern comforts.

Her lower body is covered by dark jeans, secured with a sturdy belt around her waist. The belt is another practical component of her outfit and helps hold her clothing securely while she moves through the wilderness. The jeans are relatively loose and functional, allowing her to move comfortably while crouching, climbing, stalking, or navigating difficult terrain. Combined with her heavy coat and gloves, her outfit resembles that of someone who spends considerably more time outdoors than inside a comfortable home.

∆iden's physical presence is strongly defined by her posture. When she is hunting, stalking, or observing potential victims, she commonly adopts a low, crouched stance. Her body remains tense and prepared to move at a moment's notice, with her shoulders lowered and her movements kept deliberately quiet. She can remain in this position for extended periods, patiently observing her surroundings before deciding to act. Rather than constantly moving around, she often appears almost motionless, making her sudden movements considerably more unsettling when she finally decides to pursue someone.

When she prepares to attack, her posture changes dramatically. She straightens herself and becomes noticeably more rigid, positioning her body as though she is preparing to spring forward. Her movements become deliberate and controlled rather than frantic. Even when confronting someone directly, she rarely displays exaggerated body language. Instead, she relies on small movements, changes in positioning, and prolonged stillness to create an intimidating presence.

One of ∆iden's most distinctive characteristics is her almost completely expressionless face. Her expression remains remarkably consistent regardless of what is happening around her. Happiness, sadness, anger, pain, fear, or excitement rarely produce obvious changes in her facial features. Even during combat or when she is injured, she can maintain the same distant, almost blank expression. This lack of visible emotion makes her difficult to read and contributes heavily to the unsettling atmosphere surrounding her.

Her expressionless demeanor becomes particularly noticeable when she is hunting or confronting trespassers. Even when she becomes interested in someone entering her territory, her face does not visibly change. Instead, her emotions are communicated almost entirely through her posture. A slight shift in her stance can indicate irritation, while a more deliberate movement can suggest that she has decided to pursue someone. This creates the impression that her body is reacting to situations that her face refuses to acknowledge.

When dealing with victims or trespassers, ∆iden can become frighteningly still. Rather than showing excitement or anger, she may simply stand motionless and watch them. Her lack of visible emotion makes her behavior feel almost mechanical, as though she has reduced the encounter to a simple process: observe, pursue, and eliminate the intruder. Even when chasing someone through the wilderness, her movements can remain controlled and methodical rather than chaotic.

Her appearance changes noticeably, however, whenever she is around Abbie. When her brother used to visit her cabin, the normally rigid and emotionless exterior would soften considerably. Her posture would become more relaxed, with her shoulders lowering and her body losing some of its constant tension. Instead of appearing like a predator waiting for something to enter her territory, she would resemble the caring older sister she still wanted to be.

Her face would also become considerably more expressive around him. Emotions that she normally suppresses, such as affection, concern, fear, anger, and happiness, could become visible when Abbie was present. Even subtle changes in her eyes or posture were enough to demonstrate that the person underneath her hardened exterior had not completely disappeared. Around him, she was capable of looking genuinely comfortable and emotionally engaged rather than distant and detached.

In the present day, however, the disappearance of those visits has seemingly caused her expressionless demeanor to become even more permanent. Without Abbie around to draw out the more emotional side of her personality, ∆iden has gradually become more withdrawn and difficult to read. Her face now appears almost permanently frozen into the same tired, distant expression, reinforcing the impression that years of isolation have pushed her further away from the person she once was.

The contrast is especially striking because her clothing and physical appearance already make her look like someone who has spent years surviving in a cold and unforgiving environment. Her dark hair, heavy ushanka, navy coat, scarf, gloves, jeans, and scarred face give her a weathered and isolated appearance, while her posture and lack of expression make her seem even more detached from ordinary society.

∆iden is also commonly seen carrying either an axe or a shotgun, both of which fit naturally with her life in the wilderness. The axe is particularly fitting for someone accustomed to living in an isolated cabin and navigating a heavily wooded environment, while the shotgun serves as a practical tool for dealing with threats at a distance. When armed, she carries herself with the same controlled stillness that defines the rest of her appearance, rarely displaying excitement or nervousness about having a weapon in hand.

Overall, ∆iden's appearance is built around cold colors, heavy winter clothing, isolation, and emotional stillness. Her fluffy ushanka and layered clothing suggest someone adapted to an unforgiving climate, while her scar, long black hair, and permanently distant expression give her an unmistakably hardened appearance. Her posture serves as the primary indication of what she is feeling: crouched and tense when hunting, rigid and prepared when attacking, and unusually relaxed when around Abbie. The greatest visual contrast in her character therefore comes not from changing clothes or physical form, but from the rare occasions when the normally emotionless woman briefly allows her humanity to show.

Personality:

∆iden presents herself as an exceptionally cold and detached individual, rarely displaying the emotions that would normally accompany her actions. To outsiders, she can appear almost completely indifferent to the suffering of others, treating strangers, trespassers, and potential victims as little more than intruders that need to be dealt with. Her near-constant lack of visible emotion makes her especially unsettling, as it is difficult to determine what she is thinking or feeling. Whether she is hunting, fighting, injured, or simply observing someone, her expression tends to remain almost completely unchanged.

Her familiarity with weapons further suggests years of experience with both hunting and violence. ∆iden is capable of handling her preferred weapons with remarkable confidence and precision, treating them less like unfamiliar tools and more like equipment she has used for most of her life. This experience extends beyond combat itself. She possesses extensive knowledge of human anatomy and biology, allowing her to understand how the body reacts to injury and where physical pain can be inflicted without immediately causing death. Rather than relying entirely on strength, ∆iden often uses this knowledge to remain calculated and deliberate when dealing with those she considers enemies.

∆iden is also an exceptionally skilled hunter. Her experience in the wilderness has taught her how to move quietly, track living creatures, recognize signs of movement, and remain hidden even from dangerous predators. She understands the forest almost instinctively, treating it as her territory rather than simply a place where she happens to live. This territorial instinct extends to humans as well. Anyone who enters her forest without permission is immediately regarded with suspicion, regardless of their intentions or identity.

Her attitude toward trespassers is particularly unforgiving. ∆iden does not view her forest as a public space and has little interest in showing mercy to people who violate what she considers her territory. She may observe an intruder for an extended period before acting, patiently tracking their movements until she determines the appropriate moment to confront them. Even when she is actively pursuing someone, her expression rarely changes. Her movements can instead become unnaturally still and deliberate, giving her the appearance of something patiently waiting for its prey to make a mistake.

This emotional detachment is also connected to her sadistic tendencies. ∆iden does not simply see violence as a means of eliminating threats; she can become fascinated by the process of watching someone gradually lose their ability to resist. Her understanding of pain and human biology allows her to prolong confrontations rather than ending them immediately. This makes her behavior especially disturbing because it demonstrates that her actions are not always impulsive. She can be patient, methodical, and completely conscious of what she is doing.

Those who survive an encounter with her may be taken back to her isolated cabin, where her behavior becomes even more threatening. The basement serves as a place where ∆iden can isolate people from the outside world and continue whatever investigation, punishment, or ritual she has planned. Her collection of hunting and work tools reinforces the impression that she has transformed part of her home into an extension of her predatory lifestyle. Rather than treating the cabin as a comfortable home, she has effectively turned it into a fortress and hunting ground of its own.

Despite this brutality, ∆iden's actions are not entirely without purpose. Her involvement with the Cult of ∆lice has given her violence a larger objective. She views those she captures as sacrifices connected to ∆lice, although her understanding of the entity differs significantly from that of ordinary cult members. ∆iden does not possess the same reverence or devotion that most followers demonstrate. Instead, she views ∆lice as a source of power that could potentially be manipulated for her own purposes.

Because of this, ∆iden has effectively developed her own interpretation of the cult's beliefs. She studies its teachings, history, rituals, and hierarchy not because she wishes to become a devoted follower, but because knowledge gives her leverage. She wants to understand ∆lice as thoroughly as possible before ever confronting her directly. In this sense, ∆iden approaches the cult almost like a scholar studying a dangerous subject, carefully gathering information that could eventually help her achieve her personal goals.

Her long-term ambitions are deeply personal. If she were ever able to gain control over ∆lice or obtain access to her power, ∆iden would primarily use it to repair the relationships that have been damaged throughout her life. Her brother and family remain particularly important to her, despite everything that has happened between them. She also desires a reliable source of food and wishes to protect the few people she genuinely cares about from aging or other dangers. Her goals therefore combine selfish desires with an underlying desire for security and familial connection.

However, her intentions toward ∆lice would ultimately remain self-serving. Even though ∆iden possesses a small amount of respect for ∆lice, she does not truly worship her. If she ever obtained what she wanted, she would have little reason to continue treating ∆lice as an object of devotion. She could instead attempt to contain, control, or otherwise make use of the power she had acquired. This makes her relationship with the cult fundamentally transactional.

Her lack of loyalty to the cult is demonstrated by her treatment of other cultists. ∆iden does not care whether someone shares her beliefs if they enter her territory. Even members of the Cult of ∆lice can become targets if they interfere with her forest or attempt to conduct rituals there without her permission. She has little patience for people who assume that belonging to the same organization grants them protection from her. To ∆iden, her territory and personal objectives take priority over any religious affiliation.

Her extensive involvement with the cult has nevertheless made her surprisingly knowledgeable about its inner workings. ∆iden understands its doctrines, history, hierarchy, and beliefs well enough to possess information that even some high-ranking members may lack. She is particularly interested in learning everything possible about ∆lice herself, treating the entity almost as an extensive research subject. Her knowledge is therefore not based on faith, but on observation, study, and preparation.

For all her cruelty, Boris is one of the clearest exceptions to ∆iden's otherwise detached nature. Her pet dog is one of the very few living beings toward whom she demonstrates consistent affection. She protects Boris from threats and makes sure he remains safe within the forest. She has also trained him as a hunting and scouting companion, allowing the two to work together while moving through the wilderness. Their relationship reveals that ∆iden is not completely incapable of attachment; rather, she reserves that attachment for an extremely small number of individuals.

Her relationship with Katie provides another unusual exception. Katie is one of the few people ∆iden considers a genuine friend, and she behaves considerably more passively around her than she does toward strangers. Nevertheless, ∆iden's disturbing fascination with suffering does not completely disappear. She can react to Katie's destructive or self-destructive behavior with an unsettling mixture of curiosity and detached concern. Rather than openly expressing affection, she tends to show care through quiet observation, protection, and simply remaining nearby. Her compassion is therefore difficult to recognize, buried beneath the same emotional restraint that defines most of her personality.

∆iden's relationship with her brother, Abbie, is considerably more complicated. Although her actions have made him deeply afraid of her, Abbie remains the one person capable of breaking through her otherwise emotionless exterior. Her instinct as an older sister overrides much of her usual detachment whenever his safety is involved. When he once visited her forest, ∆iden was willing to confront dangerous wildlife and other threats simply to ensure that he remained unharmed. Around him, she could briefly become the protective sister she had wanted to be rather than the isolated predator she had become.

The disappearance of Abbie from her life has therefore left a significant emotional void. ∆iden does not know that he has died at the hands of Miss Circle and instead assumes that he eventually became too frightened of her to return. Because she has no knowledge of the truth, she interprets his absence as another form of abandonment. Her already limited connection to her family has consequently become even weaker, leaving her increasingly isolated from the people she once wanted to protect.

Her relationship with the rest of her family is similarly damaged. Being abandoned and eventually presumed dead caused a permanent separation between ∆iden and her relatives. Her childhood was already complicated by the way her family sometimes treated her as a scapegoat for problems that were not her fault, leaving behind resentment that she has never completely overcome. Despite this, she has not entirely abandoned the idea of reconciliation. A part of her still wants to repair the relationships that were destroyed and regain some form of connection with her family.

This desire helps explain why her ambitions involving ∆lice are more complicated than simple greed. Beneath her violent personality is someone who desperately wants stability, companionship, and a family she can protect. Unfortunately, her understanding of protection has become distorted by years of isolation, violence, and survival. She often believes that controlling a situation or eliminating every possible threat is the same thing as keeping someone safe.

Outside of her violent behavior, ∆iden has several surprisingly ordinary preferences. She enjoys bear meat, particularly for its taste and nutritional value, but generally dislikes fast food and restaurants. Ironically, one of the few restaurants she does enjoy is Outback Steakhouse because of its emphasis on meat. She also prefers black coffee, mainly because of its caffeine, although her isolated lifestyle and lack of money make obtaining coffee beans difficult.

Her Russian heritage is another important part of her identity. Having learned Russian from her father and English through her mother and schooling, ∆iden is fluent in both languages. She commonly uses Russian when she wants to make a threat without immediately revealing its meaning, while English is generally reserved for situations where she wants the person in front of her to understand exactly what she is saying. The contrast between the two languages reflects another aspect of her personality: she is perfectly capable of communicating clearly, but often chooses to remain mysterious or intimidating.

Overall, ∆iden is defined by the contrast between her almost completely emotionless exterior and the small number of relationships that still bring out genuine feelings. To strangers, she is a territorial, calculating, and highly dangerous hunter who treats the forest as her domain. To Boris, Katie, and especially Abbie, however, there are remnants of a protective and caring person beneath the violence. Her intelligence, patience, knowledge of the wilderness, and understanding of human behavior make her dangerous, but her deepest motivations are ultimately rooted in survival, control, and a desire to recover the family connections she believes she has lost.

Rather than being completely devoid of emotion, ∆iden appears to have buried most of her emotions so deeply that they rarely reach the surface. Her expressionless demeanor has become almost habitual, allowing her to conceal fear, grief, affection, and anger behind the same blank stare. The few people capable of bringing those emotions back to the surface therefore reveal just how much of her humanity remains.

Speaking Patterns/Habits:

∆iden speaks in a quiet, flat, and emotionally restrained manner, rarely allowing her voice to reveal what she is feeling. Her expressionless demeanor is usually reflected in her speech, with little variation in tone even when discussing frightening, violent, or emotionally significant subjects. She rarely raises her voice and generally speaks only as much as necessary, making her conversations feel short and deliberate.

∆iden usually speaks in a low, steady voice with very little emotional variation. Even when threatening someone, she may sound almost completely calm, making her words more unsettling. She rarely wastes words. Her sentences tend to be straightforward and practical, especially when giving warnings, instructions, or discussing survival.

∆iden can discuss hunting, violence, death, or the dangers of her forest with the same calm tone she would use for an ordinary conversation. Her lack of emotional emphasis makes it difficult to tell whether she is angry, amused, or simply uninterested.

Rather than shouting at trespassers, she usually gives quiet warnings or matter-of-fact statements. The calmer she sounds, the more serious the situation may actually be. When speaking about her forest, ∆iden frequently uses possessive or authoritative wording. She treats the area as her territory and expects anyone who enters it to understand that they are trespassing.

∆iden often comments on footprints, scents, weather, tracks, injuries, animal behavior, or other details that ordinary people might overlook. She naturally thinks in terms of tracking and survival.

Because of her Russian heritage, ∆iden is fluent in both Russian and English. She generally uses English for normal conversation and intimidation, while Russian may come out when she wants to threaten someone without them immediately understanding what she is saying.

∆iden does not usually soften uncomfortable statements. If someone is behaving recklessly, putting themselves in danger, or threatening her territory, she is likely to tell them directly. Years of isolation have made casual conversation unfamiliar to her. She can speak normally when necessary, but she rarely starts conversations simply for the sake of talking.

Around Katie, ∆iden becomes slightly more willing to hold conversations. She remains quiet and reserved, but her responses can become longer and less strictly practical as she gradually becomes comfortable with their friendship.

When speaking to Boris, her tone becomes noticeably gentler. She may give him simple commands while hunting or scouting, but her voice carries more warmth than it normally does with other people.

When Abbie used to visit, ∆iden's voice became less distant and more openly emotional. She was more willing to explain herself, listen to him, and reassure him. She could even become defensive or frustrated when he criticized her actions because she genuinely cared about his opinion.

Discussions about Abbie or her family can cause subtle changes in her normally controlled speech. She may become quieter, hesitate before answering, or abruptly end the conversation rather than openly discussing her feelings.

Because of her upbringing within the Cult of ∆lice, ∆iden is familiar with its doctrines, rituals, history, and terminology. When discussing the cult, she can become unusually knowledgeable and analytical, often sounding more like a researcher than a believer.

Her interest in understanding ∆lice causes her speech to become more detailed and analytical. She may explain different beliefs, historical events, or aspects of the cult from memory, emphasizing facts rather than devotion.

∆iden rarely uses dramatic language when describing what she has done. She tends to describe violent events as practical necessities or consequences rather than emotional experiences.

∆iden is comfortable allowing long pauses to develop during conversations. She may simply stare at someone without answering immediately, particularly when deciding whether she considers them a threat.

Surprise, anger, fear, and amusement are often communicated through slight changes in posture or behavior rather than obvious changes in her voice. Someone who knows her well may notice these subtle differences even when a stranger would not.

When genuinely angry, ∆iden generally does not become louder. Instead, her speech becomes shorter, quieter, and more deliberate. She may stop explaining herself entirely and move directly toward whatever action she has decided upon.

Even when frightened, ∆iden attempts to maintain her usual composure. Her voice may become quieter or more hesitant, but she rarely openly panics.

Her years in the wilderness have influenced the way she thinks and speaks. She naturally refers to concepts such as shelter, food, weather, tracks, predators, territory, supplies, and survival.

∆iden is not naturally expressive with affection. Instead, she tends to show that she cares through actions, protection, providing supplies, checking on someone's safety, or simply allowing them to remain near her.

Overall, ∆iden's speech reflects the same emotional isolation that defines her personality. She is quiet, blunt, observant, and difficult to read, with most of her conversations focused on practical matters. Her voice becomes noticeably softer around Boris, Katie, and especially the memory of Abbie, revealing small remnants of the person she once was beneath her otherwise cold and detached manner.

Biography:

∆iden was born into a relatively middle-class family, growing up alongside her younger brother, Abbie, who was born five years after her. From an early age, ∆iden was exposed to the beliefs and practices of the Cult of ∆lice. Unlike Abbie, who was deliberately kept unaware of the family's involvement, ∆iden was considered old enough to understand and participate in the cult's activities. For much of her childhood, she was involved alongside her parents and other relatives, gradually becoming familiar with the cult's doctrines, traditions, and hierarchy.

Despite being raised around the cult, ∆iden never completely accepted its teachings. She understood the ∆lician doctrines extremely well, perhaps better than many members of her family, but recognizing what the teachings encouraged only made her more uncomfortable with them. She particularly disliked the way her family used the cult's beliefs to justify harsh treatment toward her and Abbie. Whenever she felt that either of them was being treated unfairly, ∆iden would openly challenge her relatives, even when doing so resulted in punishment or further hostility toward herself.

Outside of her family, ∆iden was considerably more social than the person she would eventually become. She attended school, interacted with other children, and managed to form several friendships. To her peers, she could be relatively ordinary despite the unusual circumstances of her home life. Her family, however, remained a constant source of tension. The same people who were supposed to provide her with safety instead repeatedly criticized, mistreated, and isolated her because of their devotion to the cult. Abbie became the most important exception.

Because he was kept unaware of the reasons behind their family's behavior, Abbie could not understand why so many of their relatives treated his sister so harshly. From his perspective, ∆iden was simply his older sister who repeatedly tried to protect him. Their shared experiences gradually strengthened their bond, and ∆iden became increasingly protective of him. She would tolerate considerably more mistreatment if it meant keeping Abbie out of trouble, while Abbie became one of the few people who could consistently bring out a warmer side of her.

As ∆iden grew older, her disagreements with her family became increasingly serious. She refused to silently accept the ∆lician doctrines and frequently argued against relatives who attempted to impose them upon her or Abbie. Her family interpreted her resistance as disobedience and disrespect, while ∆iden viewed her actions as necessary self-defense and protection of her brother. The conflict eventually reached its breaking point when ∆iden was seventeen.

Following a particularly severe argument involving relatives from both sides of her family, ∆iden once again attempted to defend herself and Abbie. Rather than allowing the argument to end, several family members turned against her and subjected her to a brutal beating. The assault left her severely injured and permanently scarred, including noticeable scars around her face. Realizing that remaining at home would eventually destroy her, ∆iden finally decided to leave.

She fled into the surrounding wilderness with little more than what she could carry. Before disappearing completely, however, she made sure Abbie had a way to find her. ∆iden gave him a map showing the route to her location, telling him where he needed to go if he ever wanted to visit her again. Although she had abandoned the rest of her family, she had not abandoned her brother. Her first months alone in the forest were extremely difficult.

∆iden had grown up around the wilderness but had never actually been forced to depend entirely upon it. She initially had very little understanding of how to properly ration food and water, and the resources she found were inconsistent. There were several occasions when she came dangerously close to starvation. The isolation also began taking a psychological toll on her. Without her family, friends, school, or ordinary society around her, ∆iden had almost no meaningful human contact. Rather than returning home, however, she adapted.

By the end of her first year in the forest, ∆iden had developed a much stronger understanding of survival. She learned how to conserve resources, locate food, recognize animal trails, find shelter, and move through the wilderness without drawing attention to herself. The process made her increasingly independent, but it also began eroding the more ordinary aspects of her personality. Survival became more important than comfort, morality, or social expectations.

Her first major test came when she discovered a lit cabin hidden within the forest.

Inside lived a couple who appeared to have access to everything ∆iden desperately needed: shelter, food, equipment, and protection from the cold. Desperate for somewhere to stay, she waited until the occupants were distracted before entering the cabin. She confronted them and managed to overpower them without immediately killing them. While exploring the building, ∆iden discovered a hidden basement.

What she found there revealed that the couple was not innocent residents at all. The basement contained restraints, weapons, and disturbing evidence that the pair had been responsible for violent crimes themselves. They had effectively transformed the building into a hidden place for harming other people. ∆iden's discovery presented her with an opportunity she had never expected.

Instead of simply taking the cabin and leaving the couple behind, she began considering how their existence could serve another purpose. Her obsession with the Cult of ∆lice and her desire to somehow repair her relationship with her family had begun affecting her judgment. She became convinced that the couple could serve as sacrifices connected to ∆lice, further intertwining her survival instincts with the beliefs she had spent years questioning.

Afterward, the cabin became ∆iden's permanent home.

The building provided her with shelter from the harsh weather and enough space to store supplies, equipment, and weapons. The basement became particularly useful because of the equipment left behind by its previous occupants. Rather than relying entirely on primitive hunting methods, ∆iden gradually learned how to use the firearms and other tools she had discovered, eventually becoming remarkably proficient with them.

Her growing familiarity with the weapons transformed her approach to survival. ∆iden could now obtain food from a much greater distance and defend herself against animals or other people who entered her territory. The forest gradually stopped being a place where she was merely surviving and became a territory she actively controlled.

Eventually, trespassers began appearing. Campers, hikers, hunters, and other travelers occasionally wandered into the area without understanding that someone was living deep within the forest. ∆iden began treating these intruders as threats to her territory. Over time, she developed a pattern of stalking those who entered, observing them from a distance before deciding whether to confront them.

She particularly targeted travelers who carried food and useful supplies.

With every encounter, ∆iden's reputation and appearance gradually developed into the form she would later become known for. She acquired her distinctive clothing and equipment from the wilderness and from the people who entered it, eventually becoming associated with her ushanka, heavy coat, gloves, boots, and scarf. She also began marking parts of the forest with the triangular symbol associated with ∆lice. Eventually, she placed the symbol directly onto her ushanka, turning it into a permanent reminder of the strange connection between her survival and the cult she had once rejected.

Although her behavior became increasingly violent, Abbie continued visiting her. Whenever he followed the map and managed to find the cabin, ∆iden would temporarily become something closer to the sister she remembered being. Abbie was one of the few people who could make her relax, speak more openly, and temporarily forget the isolation surrounding her. He repeatedly pleaded with her to stop hurting people, warning her that what she was doing was wrong.

∆iden would usually insist that she had no choice. She described her actions as necessary for survival and promised Abbie that she would eventually stop. However, those promises never lasted. The longer she remained in the wilderness, the more deeply her violent habits became embedded into her way of life. Still, Abbie's visits gave her something she desperately needed: human contact.

For a time, they allowed ∆iden to maintain a small connection to the person she had been before running away. Around him, her otherwise emotionless demeanor could soften, and she would occasionally display emotions that almost never appeared around anyone else. Eventually, those visits stopped.

When Abbie was fifteen, he died during the events surrounding Fundamental Paper Education, killed by his mathematics teacher. ∆iden, unaware of the truth, never learned that her brother had died. Instead, she interpreted his sudden absence as proof that he had finally become too frightened of her to return. The misunderstanding affected her profoundly.

Rather than searching for another explanation, ∆iden blamed herself. She believed that her actions had finally pushed away the only family member who had continued visiting her. The emotional connection she had maintained with Abbie gradually disappeared, and her already detached personality became even more rigid. She was only twenty when Abbie stopped visiting.

Without him, ∆iden had little reason to maintain the softer side of herself. Her expression became increasingly blank, her interactions with others became shorter, and her attachment to the forest became stronger. The wilderness was no longer simply where she lived. It had become the only world she believed she could depend on.

Some time later, ∆iden encountered a dog wandering through her territory. At first, she considered the animal another potential source of food. However, something about the dog caused her to reconsider. Instead of harming him, she brought him back to her cabin and decided to keep him. The dog eventually became her companion.

∆iden began training him to navigate the forest, track scents, recognize signs of danger, and assist her while hunting. Their relationship gradually became one of the few genuine bonds in her isolated life. Once his training was complete, she gave him the name Boris.

Boris became extremely important to ∆iden. Unlike the people who entered her forest, Boris never judged her or questioned what she had become. He simply remained beside her. ∆iden consequently became fiercely protective of him, treating him almost like family. Her care for Boris demonstrated that, despite years of isolation and violence, she had not completely lost her ability to form attachments.

During the period in which she was training Boris, ∆iden also encountered Katie. Their relationship was initially uncertain. ∆iden was not accustomed to socializing anymore, while Katie had little reason to immediately trust someone with such an intimidating reputation. Nevertheless, the two gradually developed a fragile friendship.

Katie's presence gave ∆iden another form of social interaction outside of her brother and Boris. Although ∆iden remained distant and emotionally restrained, she slowly became more comfortable having another person around. Their friendship did not erase her darker tendencies, but it provided a small reminder that she was still capable of connecting with other people. By the time ∆iden reached twenty-nine, her reputation had spread throughout the surrounding region.

Campers, hikers, guides, and hunters were repeatedly warned about entering the forest. Stories began circulating about a mysterious woman who lived somewhere among the trees and rarely allowed trespassers to leave. Some people dismissed the stories as exaggerations, while others began treating ∆iden as a cryptid or local legend. The legend only grew stronger because of what happened to those who attempted to investigate it.

People who entered the forest in search of the mysterious woman frequently disappeared. Those who survived encounters with her rarely returned with a clear explanation of what they had seen. Even experienced hunters could struggle to locate her, as ∆iden had spent years learning how to move through the forest without being noticed.

Animals were not exempt from her territorial instincts, either. Predators that wandered too close to her cabin could become targets, while animals that escaped an encounter with her might still be tracked later for food. Over nearly a decade, ∆iden had transformed herself from a frightened teenager struggling to survive into one of the dominant predators within the forest. Yet beneath the legend remained the same person who had once run away with a map for her younger brother.

She had lost her family, misunderstood Abbie's disappearance, and spent years convincing herself that isolation was safer than attachment. The forest had given her survival, shelter, and control, but it had also taken away much of the humanity she had once fought to protect. Her relationships with Boris and Katie became some of the last remaining connections preventing her from becoming completely detached from the world.

By this point, ∆iden was no longer simply hiding in the forest. The forest had become her home, her territory, and the only place where she felt she truly belonged.