The world doesn't extend in merely two dimensions. There exist profound depths within itself. This world could never be summarized by materialism or any single doctrine. Accept the great mysteries and explore the entire universe from within your world. That is the way of magic.
– Flora
Flora (フローラ Furōra) is Schierke's mistress, who teaches her in the arts of magic and Od, the life force of all things. Before her passing, she was regarded as one of the most powerful humans in existence and even gained the respect of Skull Knight.
Appearance
Flora appears as a kindly aunt or grandmother type of figure, with homely clothing and gray hair swept back behind a boudoir cap. This appearance should not be mistaken as indicative of her ability, however, as Flora is the single most powerful witch in the world at the time of her death.
Personality
Flora is a kind person who likes to help people in need, even if she doesn't know them, as in the past she traveled from place to place assisting others. She is well-mannered when she speaks and doesn't bear any hatred towards the Holy See alliance, despite their teachings driving her away and leading people to fear and hate witches. Her relationship with her disciple, Schierke, is like that of a mother and daughter; Flora lets the young girl rest her head on her lap in sunspots and treats her to afternoon tea.
Abilities
Flora is a powerful witch implied to have lived many centuries, and is an ally of the Skull Knight. She is a big enough threat for Griffith to send a troop of apostle to kill her without provocation when he rises to power.
Though the main extent of her powers is unknown, she is capable of magically dampening the effects of the cursed Brand with a seal, knows about Beherits, and collected and is implied to have made many of the powerful magical weapons she keeps in her sanctuary. Mud golems guard her sanctuary, and she can project her thoughts to others without a catalyst, unlike Schierke. Her greatest display of magic is when she conjures a massive wall of fire to stop the apostles from chasing Guts' new party, a force which Grunbeld cannot control. The seal she places over the Brand not only keeps its effects dampened for three days, but safeguards Guts' ego from collapse during his first time in the Berserker Armor. She is beyond a skilled and experienced enough witch to mentor others in magic.
History
Background
In her youth, being an old friend of the archmage Gedfring, Flora aided the Skull Knight; she possessed knowledge of Void in his original human state along with the nature of the God Hand and Beherits. Living through the centuries, establishing herself at a Spirit Tree near Enoch Village, Flora became a powerful witch and was entrusted the Berserker Armor by the Skull Knight to safe guard at her mansion. After becoming considerably older, Flora took Schierke on as an apprentice and came to see her as a daughter.
Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc
Flora welcomes Guts' party into her sanctuary in the Forest of The Spirit Tree - despite their destruction of her golems and Schierke's protests - with good grace. Agreeing to help Morgan resolve Enoch Village's troll problem, and enlisting Schierke to do so, she asks the party for their assistance in the matter. In exchange, she offers several magical weapons and garments, and seals the Brand on the back of Guts' neck. During the night they stay within her sanctuary. She speaks to Guts alone, mentioning the Beherit inscribed on him, and tells him to pray that it has not come to recognize him as its owner. That night she teaches him about the Astral Plane, and the next morning she sends the party off.
By the time the group return from Qliphoth, however, disaster strikes. Griffith has sent a troop of powerful apostles, including Zodd and Grunbeld, to see to Flora's death. The sanctuary is set ablaze with Flora still inside it, but Flora is still able to project her thoughts to Schierke and instructs her to find the cursed armor Guts will need to survive the onslaught. She directs Schierke to her basement and guides her through the task, then grants Schierke well wishes, knowing this to be her last stand. As Guts, already badly wounded from the previous excursion, is about to die by Grunbeld's hand, Flora activates several mud golems to absorb the apostle's cannon blast and buy Guts time to retrieve the armor. However, once he dons it Guts loses his sense of self. Despite Schierke not being confident in her abilities as a witch, her mistress encourages her to bring the swordsman back to his senses. The young girl, spurred on by Flora's support, manages to break the armor's hold on Guts and restores him to sanity.
Flora, however, is not so fortunate. Still trapped inside the mansion burning to cinders and unable to escape, Flora uses the last of her strength to aid her student and the travelers. In her final moments she assumes a spiritual form and creates a massive wall of fire to stave off Grunbeld and the other apostles, allowing Guts and the rest of the group to escape. Schierke is left devastated. Before she departs, Flora comforts her student via thought transference. She assures Schierke that in her long life, the moments spent with her were by far the most serene.
Notes
Appendices
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