The revenant known as Khalis was born in the 21st century B.C. in Egypt to an unknown family.  At some point, he became an acolyte of Anubis and in 2030, he traveled to Bubastis and preached the cities destruction by the power of the God of the Underworld.   The fall of the temple came as foretold and Anubis rewarded Khalis' devotion with a powerful artifact, the Amulet of Anubis.  Using it, Khalis began an expansive program of building pyramids and temples in the name of his god.  Khalis was a cruel taskmaster, abusing the Nubian slaves beneath his yoke.  Years later, a man entered arose among the slaves known as Nabu, who revealed himself to be a great mage and using the power of light, defeated Khalis and took his amulet.  Defenseless, Khalis fell to his vengeful slaves, who mummified him alive.  Anubis appeared to him and swore an oath that Khalis would know life-in-death until he could find the Amulet once more.   Where and how long Khalis was entombed are unknown and whether he might have awakened to search for the amulet more than once in unrevealed.

In the winter of 1975, the sarcophagus containing Khalis mummified body was acquired by the Boston Museum of Egyptology.  One evening as the curator was showing a visiting expert the latest acquisitions of the museum when the door of Khalis' sarcophagus creaked open and his mummy shambled out.  His emergence was felt in the Tower of Fate in nearby Salem, Massachusetts and alerted Doctor Fate but before the hero could arrive, Khalis had slain the two Egyptologists.  With the mind of Nabu residing his helmet, Fate recognized Khalis but the power of the resurrected priest caught Fate by surprise.  The proximity of Anubis' gift began to drain Fate's power into Khalis.  Taking the amulet once more, Khalis leaves to pursue a renewed revival of Anubis.

Retreating back to his tower, Fate learned of Khalis history from ancient texts and finding him once more, drained the entire city of Boston of it's light to blast Khalis with.  While vulnerable to light, Khalis powers had grown that he was repelled by not destroyed.   After the revenant flees, Fate turns to restore light to Boston but is interrupted by Inza Nelson, who has found an seal from Khalis' sacrophagus.  Recognizing it's significance, Fate takes off and illuminates Boston, only to find it composed of monuments to Anubis.  At the heart of the new temple, Khalis summons Anubis, who has forgotten Khalis and his devotion. Scorning and taunting his former priest, he offers to reward him if he destroys Dr. Fate.   As Khalis turns, Fate arrives and engages Khalis in mystic battle.  As Khalis unleashes the  magicks of his master, Fate focuses magical light through the seal of Khalis' tomb, reciting the sacred words that entombed Khalis over 3000 years before.   Shrieking his agony, Khalis is blasted to dust and Boston returns to normal. 

Whether Khalis could be resurrected or is truly dead remains unknown.