History[]
Khessa was born on August 11th inside Xadia as the elder sister of Janai and Karim. Throughout their childhood, Khessa and her siblings participated in activities that involved scorchberry scones, sunbeam tag, and Hotcat Races.[1] As the firstborn child, she became the ruler Lux Aurea and referred to her great-grandmother Aditi as her "grandmother".[2] During her reign as the Sunfire Queen, Khessa commissioned the forging of the Sunforge lockbuster, a magical artifact that could turn the inner workings of a lock into ash upon being inserted.[3]
First Saga[]
Khessa was in the throne room of her palace alongside Pharos when her younger sister Janai and Kazi brought the captured Amaya to her. Khessa initially ordered Amaya to be executed before choosing to subject the human general to "the Light" from Pharos's Sun staff after some convincing from Janai. Khessa was surprised to discover that Amaya had a pure heart and allowed Janai to keep her prisoner.[4]
Several days later, Khessa allowed Viren to have an audience with her after he revealed that he knew about the mysterious fate of Queen Aditi. When Viren informed Khessa that he would tell her what she wished to know if she granted his army safe passage through Xadia, Khessa had him subjected to "the Light". After Viren's true corrupted form was exposed, Khessa ordered to have him cleansed of dark magic at the Sunforge. However, this turned to be a ruse for Viren and Aaravos to corrupt the Sunforge and weaken the Sunfire Elves. Upon possessing the Pharos's body and claiming his staff, Aaravos whispered Aditi's fate to Khessa. Khessa was petrified by the revelation of Aaravos swallowing Aditi[5] before she died screaming when the Startouch Elf disintegrated her.[6]
Book Three - Sun[]
Ghost[]
Khessa is approached by Janai, who has asked for an audience alongside Kazi and Amaya. After briefly attempting to question Amaya, she dismissively sentences the human general to death. Convinced otherwise by Janai, she instead commands Pharos to subject Amaya to "the Light" and is vaguely surprised to find her being pure of heart. She teases Janai momentarily and refers to Amaya as her pet.
Hearts of Cinder[]
Khessa appears again as Viren requests an audience, instantly ordering him to be thrown into captivity. When Janai informs her that Viren allegedly knows what the fate of her great-grandmother Aditi was, she changes her mind and permits him to approach. Rejecting his request for peaceful passage, she commands Pharos to subject Viren to "the Light" as well, and sneers as the corruption of his dark magic is revealed.
Unwittingly following the machinations of Aaravos, Khessa subjects Viren to the power of the Sunforge, claiming that it will burn away those parts of him corrupted by dark magic. Instead, Aaravos's caterpillar emerges from Viren's body and leaps onto Pharos to possess his body, allowing Aaravos to take control of the Sunforge and its associated power.
Aaravos easily corners Khessa at the edge of the Sunforge and mockingly compares her to Aditi, regarding the late queen as having been as predictably arrogant as Khessa. After pushing her to the edge of the Sunforge's platform, Aaravos whispers what had happened to Aditi into her ear. Khessa is rendered horrified and speechless, when Aaravos casts a spell on her, causing her body to disintegrate. As her body dissolves, Khessa lets out a last scream as she falls off the edge.