Lyra

Lyra is ambitious and initially somewhat naïve about military service. She wants to become a State Alchemist and regards serving Yoki as a possible step toward that goal, even though his administration exploits the people of Youswell.

She possesses enough pride in her abilities to confront Edward directly. Losing to him forces her to recognize that raw ambition and a useful alchemical technique are not sufficient to reach the level she seeks.

Her later decision to study under Dante shows that she remains committed to improving herself. Lyra's willingness to seek instruction from a more experienced alchemist ultimately places her in circumstances far more dangerous than her earlier work for Yoki.

Lyra performs alchemy through a small transmutation circle incorporated into a pendant around her neck. Her specialty involves manipulating air and atmospheric moisture.

She can condense moisture and then rapidly change its state, producing powerful pressure waves capable of striking opponents at range and damaging structures. This gives her an effective combat technique without requiring direct physical contact.

Lyra is sufficiently talented for Yoki to value her as his personal enforcer, but Edward demonstrates that she still has substantial room to develop when they fight in Youswell.

Lyra first appears in Youswell while working for Yoki. She helps enforce his oppressive rule and confronts Edward after the Fullmetal Alchemist begins interfering with Yoki's control of the mining town.

After Yoki's fall, Lyra disappears from the brothers' immediate story. She later resurfaces as Dante's apprentice, studying alchemy at the older woman's secluded residence. Her reappearance initially suggests that she has finally found the experienced teacher she lacked in Youswell.

Dante has actually selected Lyra for an entirely different purpose. Using a Philosopher's Stone, Dante transfers her own soul into Lyra's body, killing Lyra and thereafter using her appearance as her new vessel. The woman resembling Lyra throughout the later portion of the series is therefore Dante rather than Lyra herself.

Yoki employs Lyra as his bodyguard and enforcer in Youswell. She initially believes that serving an Amestrian official may help advance her ambition of becoming a State Alchemist.

Edward Elric defeats Lyra during the Youswell incident, demonstrating the gap between her ambitions and the level of an accomplished State Alchemist.

Dante becomes Lyra's alchemy teacher after she leaves Yoki's service. Dante ultimately betrays her student by transferring her own soul into Lyra's body and using it as her next vessel.

Alphonse Elric encounters Lyra through Edward's conflict with Yoki and later sees her again when the brothers become involved with Dante.