Forever Sound the Mystic Chords of Memory...

Gargoyles: Demona #5 cover by Frank Paur

"Forever Sound the Mystic Chords of Memory…" is the fifth issue of the Gargoyles - Demona comic by Dynamite Entertainment. It was released on December 17th, 2025. [1]

Crew
Writer/Creator: Greg Weisman Pencil Artist: Frank Paur Color Artist: Robby Bevard Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry Editor: Nate Cosby Main Cover Artist: Meghan Hetrick

Solicitation

THE CLAN OF THE RISING SUN!

The year is 1274, and Demona and Angelika have settled in Japan, where they are helping a local clan to raise a new generation of Gargoyles — including a precocious young rookling named Katana. Demona hasn't given up her quest to restore Angelika's youth, but her now-widowed adopted daughter is more concerned with keeping her mother from being consumed by her bitterness in the years to come — a goal that may slip away forever when the clan is attacked by a new force of Gargoyle hunters!

Demona's fate is forged in this fifth and final issue of Gargoyles: Demona, elegantly composed and calligraphed by Gargoyles creator GREG WEISMAN and animated series collaborator FRANK PAUR — with woodblock-worthy covers provided by PAUR, MEGHAN HETRICK, JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, and DAVID COUSENS!

The Story

"It is time to say farewell . . . It is time for the Wind Ceremony", says a female gargoyle. Magni lies upon a funeral pyre. His body is wrapped in robes and ornately shrouded with flowers. Demona stands nearby holding aloft a torch. Angelika looks upon her deceased mate with tears in her eyes. The female gargoyle leading the ceremony continues her somber duty and she and Demona toss their torches upon the pyre. A large clan of gargoyles encircle the blaze and stand watch as the fire runs its course. A young female gargoyle sadly holds Angelika's hands throughout the vigil. When the fire dies out the ceremonial leader picks up the ash and scatters it into the wind. At the same time, Angelika instructs the female rookling to open a box. Dozens of butterflies erupt from the box and take to the air. The air is full of Magni's ashes, butterflies, and gliding gargoyles as the leader of the ceremony implores her sisters, her brothers, and her clan to become one with the wind and those whom the wind has carried away forever. Demona moves to Angelika's side and offers to carry the elder gargoyle into the sky as well. Angelika thanks her but says there is no need. "Magni is always with me." Tears roll down her cheeks and she holds close a golden locket.

The year is 1274.

Later, in the Temple of Ishimura, Japan, the ceremonial leader instructs a group of gargoyles and humans in the ways of the Samurai. She notes that they will learn the combat techniques of the tengu and, more importantly, a code of conduct that will serve them in times of war or peace to live lives of honor and service. Demona watches on silently. Quietly, the female rookling sneaks up behind Demona with her blade drawn. She quickly uses the blade to cut off a lock of Demona's red hair and makes her escape laughing as she gallops away on all fours. Demona turns in surprise and curses after the hatchling. She smiles and notes that the young one will pay when it is time for her Naming Ceremony. Demona has some choice suggestions to make. Inside the temple, Angelika sits at a low table and writes upon a parchment. Demona enters and tells Angelika that her "little protege just assaulted [her]". Angelika quietly tells Demona that she asked the rookling to do so. Demona wants to know why, but Angelika will say little more. Demona then asks what Angelika is writing. She begins to read the words over the elder's shoulder: "My mother's heart was wrent by tragedy. When she was very young, her clan was destroyed. She was the only . . ." Demona stops in shock and Angelika pleads for her not to be angry and explains that the storyteller Shahrizad inspired her to record their stories so that they would not be lost. Demona isn't bothered by that, rather she is just shocked to hear Angelika call her "mother" for the first time. Angelika, cradling the golden locket, smiles and explains that as gargoyles they do not need to name things they know to be true. Demona happily embraces her daughter.

Far away, at the port of Hakata, Japan, a blond-haired woman disembarks from a ship . . .

Meanwhile, back in Ishimura, the young female rookling presents a braid of hair from two gargoyles: red hair she had stolen from Demona earlier, and yellow hair that Magni had obtained from Angelika in her younger days when she still had yellow hair. The rookling had braided the locks for her "grandmother" and Angelika thanks her as she places the braid into the golden locket. The elder reminisces about the time 16 years earlier when she, Demona, and Magni had first come to Ishimura shortly before the Spring Equinox. A few nights later, the precocious rookling and her whole generation had hatched. Angelika tells the rookling that helping to care and raise them has brought her great joy and she felt honored to be her elder. She asks her granddaughter to leave and the rookling does as she wishes. Angelika turns to Demona and presents her with the locket which now holds their hair braided together. She wants to give Demona something to remember her by. Demona again implores the elder to seek another way. Even now she can perhaps find a way to make Angelika young again. Angelika tells her mother that as much as she loves her, her mate is gone and after such a long life she is ready to return to the wind and join him in death. Demona turns away in frustration and Angelika expresses her biggest concern: leaving Demona alone. Angelika offers that the young female rookling, who elsewhere is playfully wrestling with her rookery brother, may be the perfect gargoyle to travel with and to help tame the worst impulses and realize the better angels of her nature. Demona says nothing and Angelika asks her to at least consider it.

Some days later, the mysterious stranger is moving through the lands of Japan. She shows a rough sketch of Demona to some farmers and one of them, in return for some money, points to the Temple of Ishimura. At night, the woman offers even more money to a man in a red cloak. He takes the money and pulls a red mask and hood over his face as the woman pulls a Hunter's mask over her own face.

A full Moon shines over the lands of Ishimura and Demona is training a group students, humans and gargoyles, in the use of bladed weapons. The male rookery brother that the rookling female wrestled with earlier watches on from the branches of a tree. Suddenly, his sister arrives and tells Demona that "Grandmother Angelika has fallen!" She is alive, but weak. The female rookling and Demona instantly depart back to the Temple as the students watch on. From the forest nearby, The Hunter, the red cloaked man, and a group of ninjas also watch the two gargoyles go. The burst out of the forest and begin to attack Demona's pupils. Alarmed, the male rookling takes to the sky. The red cloaked man takes aim at the rookling with a bow and arrow, but the Hunter tells him to let him go. The man points out that he'll sound the alert and the Hunter tells him that that is what she wants. She needs "The Demon" to return and join the fight. The man finds it foolish to invite the Demon and her allies to the fray. "Foolishness was not attacking during the day," The Hunter scolds him. But the man points out that they are ninjas attacking a school of samurai. Their greatest weapon is darkness. The Hunter relents and braces herself to face The Demona at night.

Demona and the female rookling rush into the Temple to find Angelika lying weakly on a bed with the Ishimuran gargoyle leader at her side. Demona tells her to hold on until the morning comes and brings "the healing power of stone". Angelika agrees to try even though it is a long way until morning. Suddenly, the male rookling bursts into the room and informs the four female gargoyles that they are under attack! Ninjas are slaying their students and they are lead by a female human with straw-colored hair and wearing a mask with three red slashes. Demona insists on putting an end to this fight. Angelika tells her to be careful and, in return, Demona tells her dying daughter to "Be strong. Be HERE" when she returns. She orders the female rookling to protect Angelika and the young gargoyle, sword drawn, promises to protect her grandmother with her life.

Demona, enraged, joins the battle. Her anger is intense and as she dispatches their ninja attackers she remembers Angelika in the different stages of her life: an elder gargoyle, a warrior in her prime, a young adventurer, and as a brave rookling. She continues her slaughter. Nearby, a ninja nearly kills the male rookling, but he is saved by the quick action of the Ishimuran gargoyle leader. Finally, Demona comes face to face with this new Hunter. She asks the human if she is indeed a Canmore. "Aye, Demon," snarls the Hunter. "Then share his fate," Demona taunts back before killing the woman with her sword.

Meanwhile, at the Temple, the frail Angelika tells her granddaughter to pass along a message to Demona. Not long after, Angelika weakly says that she couldn't hold on any longer and she quietly dies. As the Ishimuran gargoyles and humans stand victorious over the field of battle, Demona rushes back to the Temple to find the female rookling crying beside Angelika's still body. Demona is in shock, but the shock quickly turns into fury. She was not with Angelika when she died and she blames the Hunter and all humans. The Ishimuran leader tries to reason with her and explains that humans fought alongside Demona, but Demona will have none of it. She declares that she will never forgive humans for what they have taken from her. She has been denied everything including the last moments with her daughter. She vows revenge on all humans! The Ishimuran leader grabs Demona's wrists and again tries to reason with the furious and grief-stricken gargoyle: revenge is not what Angelika wanted for her. "ANGELIKA IS GONE!" screams Demona. The sun rises over Ishimura and Demona and the leader turn to stone in their struggle while the rookling female becomes stone with a tear rolling down her cheek. Angelika's body remains flesh.

Night. Demona has dug a hole under and blossoming cherry tree. Into the hole she places all of the armor and weapons that she and Angelika and Magni had brought to Ishimura from the west including Odin's Shield. She unceremoniously drops in her sword as the female rookling arrives and tells her that the Wind Ceremony for Angelika is about to begin. Demona, takes a last look at the golden locket and then tosses it into the hole as well as she tells the rookling that the ceremony will not bring Angelika back. She buries the trove as the female rookling watches on. Then Demona prepares to leave. The rookling is surprised that she is leaving Ishimura. Demona tells her that she is leaving Ishimura, Japan, and even all of Asia in order to get away from "this cursed land." She wishes the rookling luck and bids her farewell before taking to the sky. The rookling immediately follows. Demona tells her not to follow and the rookling claims that she isn't going with her "just going in the same direction." Demona angrily tackles the rookling and again tells her no before slamming her to the ground and casting her aside. "I will not watch another mortal daughter age and die!" screams Demona before whispering "I cannot face that pain again." The young rookling watches Demona depart and remembers Angelika's written words: "My mother's heart was wrent by tragedy. Cursed to a life of eternal loneliness . . . if so she chooses."

In the skies above Demona catches sight of a single solitary butterfly. She reaches out to it as a tear rolls down her face. She glides off into the world. Alone.

Never The End . . .

Featured Characters and First Appearances

Gargoyles	Humans
Demona Magni (No Lines) Angelika Katana Sensei (First Appearance) Nintai (First Appearance)	Shahrizad (Mentioned Only) Siobhan Canmore (First Appearance) Hagane (First Appearance)

Places	Objects	Miscellaneous
Hakata	Korean Ship	Samurai Hagane's Ninjas

Quotes

• "Your little protégé just assaulted me."

"I asked her to." - Demona and Angelika

• "A Canmore?"

"Aye, Demon."

"Then share his fate." - Demona and Siobhan Canmore

Cover Gallery

See Also

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