As night descended upon Mount Hamavon and the echo of war drums vibrated through the crags, Tus, heavy-hearted and worn with sorrow, yielded to sleep. In his slumber, his soul caught a glimpse of the beyond: a gleaming candle rose from crystal waters, bearing an ivory throne whereon sat the martyred prince Siyavash, radiant with royal glory and crowned in splendour. With a gentle smile and gracious words, Siyavash spoke to Tus, commanding him to stand fast with the hosts of Iran upon the mountain, for ultimate victory would be theirs, and their suffering would turn to a garden of triumph. Tus awoke transformed, his heart unburdened, and shared the bright omen with Goudarz, predicting that Rostam would soon sweep down like a roaring wind.
At dawn, the Iranian warhorns blared, and the sacred Kavian Banner was raised aloft. On the opposing side, Piran marched the Turanian forces forward, raising dust that veiled the sun. The fiery Human urged Piran to launch an immediate assault, but the seasoned chieftain cautioned restraint, reminding him how three Iranian champions had slaughtered their vanguard only the previous day. Piran argued that the Iranians were trapped on a barren, stony peak where their steeds fed on thorns; by withholding battle and surrounding them, hunger and thirst would soon force them to beg for their lives.
Within the Iranian camp, however, despair flickered as Tus gazed upon the vast enemy host surrounding their refuge. Running low on provisions, Tus declared to Goudarz that at dawn they should draw their swords and charge down the mountain, choosing an honorable death in battle over a slow, shameful demise. Yet even as the Iranians resolved to fight to the end, dark news traveled to Piran: King Afrasiab had dispatched colossal reinforcements from across the realm. Leading this vast host were the Khaqan of Chin, whose splendor rivaled the heavens, and Kamos of Kashan, an invincible warlord of Transoxiana whose fierce wrath could bring snow and storm to the battlefield.