Following a devastating engagement, Commander Tus tempered his fury with strategic calculation, ordering the weary Iranian host to withdraw toward the rugged heights of Mount Hamavon. Hearts heavy with grief for their fallen kin and lips parched from endless marching, the soldiers moved night and day. Upon reaching the rocky slopes of Mount Hamavon, Tus turned to the valiant Giv, acknowledging his three sleepless days of relentless combat, and urged him to take rest while fresh troops prepared positions atop the peak, assigning the vigilance of the plain to young Bijan.
The Iranians carried their wounded up the cliffs and stationed lookouts along every ridge. The clatter of armor, shouts of sentinels, and ringing of war-bells resonated through the gorges so intensely that the very stones of Hamavon seemed to boil. As dawn broke, casting golden light across the horizon, the vast expanse below sparkled like a turbulent ocean.
Meanwhile, in the Turanian camp, scouts discovered the Iranian war-camp completely deserted, leaving only empty tents behind. A great cheer erupted through the ranks of Piran Viseh. The veteran Turanian commander gathered his chieftains to deliberate their next move. Piran advised patience, advocating that they wait for King Afrasiab’s massive reinforcements. However, Houman, the fiery Turanian champion, passionately countered his commander's caution. Houman warned that granting the Iranians respite would allow them to regroup with King Khosrow’s main army—or worse, allow Rostam of Zabulistan to march to their rescue, which would spell doom for Turan. He insisted on an immediate strike to capture the sacred Kavian Banner and annihilate the Iranian leadership.
Piran acknowledged the wisdom in Houman’s aggressive strategy and sanctioned the pursuit. He dispatched Lahhak with two hundred swift horsemen to scout the enemy's position. Sweeping across the dark plain, Lahhak approached the mountain only to hear the echoing bells and stern shouts of the Iranian sentinels, confirming that Tus and Goudarz had fortified the heights of Mount Hamavon, ready to make a fierce stand.