Aura, also infamously known as Aura the Guillotine is a prominent antagonist in the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End manga and anime series. She plays a central role in the "Aura the Guillotine" arc, where she emerges as the main threat.
Aura is one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, a powerful group of demons who once served under the Demon King. Following the Demon King's defeat, Aura takes initiative to continue his legacy. She orchestrates an attack on the Graf Granat Domain by deploying her loyal subordinates—Lügner, Linie, and Draht. Their mission: to dismantle the magical barrier protecting the city and trap its inhabitants.
Appearance[]
Aura is a small-statured demon with striking dark blue eyes and long pink hair styled into two large twin tails, each further braided into three smaller strands near her shoulders. She adorns her neck with two golden necklaces and wears a dark blue, revealing ensemble that highlights her slender frame. Her forearms are covered with elegant dark blue opera gloves, and her midsection is partially exposed, with a cloth draped from her chest down, leaving her navel visible. A voluminous, frilly pink cape is fastened around her lower back, paired with a short white skirt. Her legs are clad in white-striped dark blue leggings that seamlessly connect to her footwear.
Personality[]
As a demon, Aura lacked any genuine emotions, displaying a cold and calculating nature. She was driven by selfish ambition and an insatiable thirst for power, showing unwavering loyalty only to the Demon King. The lives of her subordinates meant little to her; upon learning of Lügner, Linie, and Draht's failures, she showed no remorse or concern. Unlike many of her kind, Aura was notably cautious—choosing to retreat rather than face certain death when confronted by the Hero Party, fully aware that she could not match their strength. Despite this pragmatism, she held strong confidence in the potency of her magic, believing it capable of securing her ambitions and preserving her legacy.
Story[]
Aura became one of the Seven Sages of Destruction over five centuries ago, rising to power by using her magic to subjugate others and build a formidable army. She gained infamy for executing those she had enthralled—decapitating them once she discovered that individuals with strong willpower could resist her control. This ruthless practice earned her the notorious title of "Aura the Guillotine."
At one point, Aura and the other Sages were summoned under the command of Schlacht to join a battle against the Hero of the South. Though she survived the confrontation, it came at a high cost: three of her fellow Sages and Schlacht perished in the conflict. Later, during a clash with the legendary Hero Party, Aura lost a large portion of her undead forces, sustained injuries from the hero Himmel, and was ultimately forced to flee. The Hero Party would later defeat the Demon King, prompting Aura to go into hiding.
She remained in the shadows until Himmel's death, after which she resurfaced and launched a campaign to conquer Graf Granat’s Domain in the Northern Lands. Her actions ignited a fierce war with the local human population, which tragically led to the death of Graf Granat’s son, who had been conscripted into the conflict.
Aura the Guillotine Arc[]
Twenty-eight years after the death of Himmel, Aura appears to abandon open warfare and sends her three executioners—Lügner, Linie, and Draht—to negotiate a supposed peace treaty with Graf Granat. However, this gesture is a deception; her true goal is to manipulate the Graf into deactivating the powerful protective barrier around his domain, allowing her army to invade without resistance.
Upon Frieren's arrival with her party, the plan quickly unravels. Frieren intercepts the executioners and kills Draht, then moves to confront Aura outside the city. After swiftly dispatching much of Aura’s undead forces, the two engage in a psychological battle through Aura’s signature ability, the Scales of Obedience—a magical tool that determines which soul possesses greater mana and forces the weaker to submit.
Initially, the scales appear to favor Aura. However, the balance soon tips toward Frieren, who reveals she has been suppressing her mana for centuries as a strategic ruse to deceive demons. Aura, unable to fathom such long-term deception, is shocked. She boasts of her five centuries of life, only to be outmatched when Frieren discloses that she has lived for over a thousand years and then unleashes her true magical power—far surpassing Aura’s.
With the scales now fully tilted in Frieren's favor, Aura becomes a victim of her own magic. Under Frieren’s command, she is compelled to end her life, and does so by decapitating herself—ironically earning a death befitting her title: "The Guillotine."
Powers and Abilities[]
As one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, Aura wields magic that far surpasses the limits of human understanding, making her an exceptionally dangerous and formidable demon.
Vast Mana Reserves
Having lived for over five centuries and dedicating much of her existence to honing her magical abilities, Aura possesses an immense reservoir of mana. Throughout her life, she never encountered an individual whose soul outweighed hers in terms of magical power—until her fateful encounter with Frieren.
Auserlese – The Spell of Obedience
Aura’s signature ability is a unique spell known as Auserlese (服従させる魔法アゼリューゼ, Azeryūze), which allows her to wield the Scales of Obedience—a magical device resembling a set of hemispherical balances. By casting this spell, she places both her soul and that of her opponent onto the scales, comparing the size of their respective mana pools.
If Aura's mana is greater, she seizes total control over the other person’s body, rendering them her puppet. However, this domination can sometimes be disrupted by those with exceptionally strong willpower. To prevent rebellion or resistance, Aura is known to execute her subjugated victims—typically through decapitation—eliminating any chance of defiance.
Despite its devastating potential, Auserlese is not without risk. If her opponent’s mana exceeds her own, control is reversed, and the victim can instead command Aura’s body. This inherent gamble makes her spell a high-stakes tactic, one that ultimately led to her downfall when she attempted to use it against Frieren.