Dr. Saphir Wyon Neis, also known as 'Dist the Reaper or by his self-conferred title Dist the Rose, is one of the six God-Generals and primary antagonists faced by the main part of Tales of the Abyss. He calls himself Dist the Rose, finding the name given to him to be barbaric. On one occasion, Dist was called Dist the Runny by Jade because his nose gets runny when he's angry (as said by Jade). Within the Order of Lorelei he holds the ranks of Conductor and Locrian Colonel and is the 2nd Division Commander. He never fights the party directly; instead he uses large fon machines called 'Kaiser Dists' to battle in his place.

During his childhood, Dist lived in Keterberg, known by his real name of Saphir Wyon Neis. There he studied with Jade Curtiss (then Jade Balfour, who Dist considered his best friend), Jade's sister, Nephry, and the future emperor Peony IX under Professor Gelda Nebilim, a retired Oracle Knight.

Jade tried and failed to use a fonic arte using the Seventh Fonon while at Nebilim's home. The house burned down and Nebilim died from the injuries she sustained, though not before Jade and Saphir took her to the outskirts of town and attempted to make a replica of her. However, the attempt was a failure, and the replica Nebilim was unstable, and, desiring First and Sixth Fonons, went on a rampage, killing several Fonists to get the fonons she needed. She was eventually sealed away in Nebilim's Crag.

Eventually Jade moved on, halting research on fomicry as he considered it unethical. Dist, however, had promised to himself that he would do anything to resurrect Nebilim, believing Jade to have abandoned her. He did everything he could, switching alliances and working with Grand Maestro Mohs in a failed attempt to get Nebilim's replica data.

He's also the creator of Anise's fighting doll, Tokunaga, because she was kind to him at one time.