Demon Knights #5 is an issue of the series Demon Knights (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 2012. It was published on January 11, 2012.
Synopsis for "The Traitor"
Horsewoman has just shot an arrow into Exoristos' stomach, blaming her for Audofleda's death. Jason Blood intervenes but Al Jabr suddenly attacks him to avenge Father Theold who recently died after being attacked by Etrigan. As Alairic, the village headman, mourns the loss of his daughter, Audofleda, Osric blames the Demon Knights for the Horde's seige of Little Spring. Before the fight between Jason and Al Jabr escalates, Madame Xanadu appears, warns the others not to fight amidst themselves, and tends to Exoristos' wounds.
Meanwhile, at her roaming palace, the Questing Queen and Mordru devise a plan to use magic to walk among the Demon Knights and attempt to turn them against one another. In Little Spring, Exoristos accuses Xanadu of being a weak woman for having romantic involvement with both Etrigan and Jason Blood. Xanadu explains that it's a deal worked out between all parties and then and reveals a secret - Exoristos is in exile. Just then Mordru appears to Exoristos with promises of a return home.
Elsewhere in the village the Questing Queen is spying on their defenses when she comes across Shining Knight. Recognizing Shining Knight as a delusional crusader who believes the Queen's quest is her own. The Queen believes this to be a test to prove her worth to the quest of the Holy Grail. Soon after, the Queen visits Jason Blood in the guise of Merlin which enrages him, transforming him into Etrigan. The Questing Queen offers Etrigan an opportunity for Xanadu and him to retreat. Etrigan refuses and attacks her.
After Exoristos refuses Mordru's offer of a clean slate and a return to her homeland he approaches Al Jabr. Mordru offers Al Jabr knowledge in return for his surrender. Al Jabr manages to anger Mordru enough to accidentally confess that he is the source of the Queen's power. At the edge of the village, the young captain in Vandal Savage's militia finds Savage attempting to desert. Before the boy can raise the alarm, Savage silently kills him.
When Mordru approaches Horsewoman sleeping on the ground beside her horse, a magic bond to her horse pulls her from the ground onto the horse's back in an instant. Mordru offers Horsewoman the ability to walk again, but Horsewoman just fires an arrow into the air, seemingly at nothing but actually very narrowly missing the actual Mordru astral projecting from the Questing Queen's mobile palace.
At dawn, just before the attack on Little Spring is to begin, Vandal Savage meets the Questing Queen and Mordru in the forrest outside the village. He immediately crosses the line by roughly kissing the Queen on the mouth and brashly begins to lead the assault on Little Spring.
Appearing in "The Traitor"
Featured Characters:
- Demon Knights
- Al Jabr (Joins team)
- Etrigan (Jason Blood)
- Exoristos
- Horsewoman (Joins team)
- Madame Xanadu (Joins team)
- Shining Knight (Ystin)
Supporting Characters:
- Breaker the Horse
- Little Spring residents
- Alaric
- Osric II
- Vanguard the Flying Horse
Antagonists:
- Mordru
- The Questing Queen (Also as a spirit) (Impersonates Merlin)
- The Horde
- Cassius (First appearance)
- The Wallbreaker (Giant Rhinoceros) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- The Horde
- Vandal Savage
Other Characters:
- Dinosaurs (Cameo)
- Merlin (As an illusion only)
- Audofleda (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- God (Mentioned only)
- Gods of Olympus (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Astral Plane (Behind the scenes)
- Prime Earth
- 1013
- Britain
- Little Spring
- Mobile Palace of the Questing Queen
- Alba Sarum (Mentioned only)
- Camelot (Destroyed) (Mentioned only)
- Paradise Island (Mentioned only)
- Britain
- 1013
- Sphere of the Gods (Unnamed)
- Hell (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Caliburn
- Holy Grail (Mentioned only)
Concepts:
Notes
- From the Solicitation: The pressure is mounting as the Horde prepares to breach the walls of Little Spring – but inside the town, our heroes are at each other's throats! With their fragile alliance in tatters, and the enemy whispering in their ears, someone's going to break – but for a reason you never saw coming!