As Rostam set forth toward the misty heights of Mount Alborz, he shattered the advance guard of the Turanian forces, his bull-headed mace crushing their vanguard until they fled in terror to report the disaster to Prince Afrasiab. Alarmed by the formidable power of the Iranian champion, Afrasiab dispatched Qalun—a cunning and sorcerous warlord—with a host of war-elephants and armored cavalry to seal every mountain pass.
Unaware of Qalun’s ambush, Rostam pressed onward into the lush foothills of Mount Alborz, arriving at a paradise of streaming waters and verdant groves. There, beside a crystal river, a grand throne was set under the shade, upon which sat a young man radiant as the glowing moon, surrounded by nobles in royal attire. The banqueters invited the passing champion to join their feast, but Rostam steadfastly refused, declaring that while Iran remained without a king, he could not indulge in wine or rest.
Smiling knowingly, the youth took Rostam by the hand and revealed his secret: he was Kay Qobad, direct scion of the illustrious lineage of Fereydun. Qobad recounted a prophetic dream wherein two snow-white falcons flew to him bearing a crown as brilliant as the sun and placed it upon his brow. Rostam recognized the divine sign, fell to his knees in homage, and delivered the summons of Zal and the grandees of Iran.
Mounting their steeds, Kay Qobad and Rostam galloped swiftly toward the heartland of Iran. En route, they encountered the treacherous blockade of Qalun. Rostam bade the new king stand back, then charged into the enemy ranks like a unleashed demon. Qalun lunged with his spear, striking Rostam's armor, but the mighty champion seized the shaft with bare hands, tore it away, and hurled his own spear with thunderous force—transfixing Qalun like a fowl on a spit and driving his limp body onto the earth. Horrified by the display, the Turanian host dissolved in panic.
Under cover of night, Rostam brought Kay Qobad safely to the encampment of Zal. For seven days the mobads and elders deliberated in solemn council, and on the eighth day, they raised the Ivory Throne and suspended the royal crown over Kay Qobad, inaugurating the glorious Kayanian dynasty.