Kamoos

When pitch-black night enveloped the world and neither Venus, Mars, nor Mercury could be seen in the dark vault of heaven, a scout rushed pale-faced to General Tus, bearing joyous tidings that a massive reinforcement sent by the King of Iran had arrived. Tus smiled among his chieftains, declaring that with the Lord's divine aid, the Elephant-bodied champion Rostam would soon arrive, so there was no cause for rashness nor idle delay. A wave of renewed hope swept through the camp, brightened the hearts of young and old, and watchmen were dispatched into the plain as warhorns sounded across the hills.

At break of dawn, as the sun climbed the sky, the Khagan of China summoned a grand council, draping the earth in luxurious Chinese silks. He turned to Piran, urging an immediate display of force to crush the vengeful Iranians once and for all. Piran bowed to the monarch's supreme command, and instantly the camp resounded with the thunder of war-drums and trumpets. A vast armada of warriors advanced, flanked by war-elephants adorned with turquoise and emerald saddles, leopardskin harnesses, and golden bells, beneath a forest of violet, yellow, and red banners that resembled a bustling market of China.

Seeing the enemy march forth, the Iranian heroes tightened their belts, and Giv raised high the sacred Kavian Banner. Across the valley, Kamus, Manshur, the Khagan of China, Bivard, and Shangal ascended the heights of Mount Hamavon to inspect the Iranian host. The Khagan was struck with admiration at the sight of the disciplined, brave Iranian ranks, and Piran warmly praised their peerless valor, confessing he had never seen heroes of such relentless courage. Piran advised caution: 'Let us rest for three days. Then, split our army into two relays—one to attack from dawn until noon with spears and bows, and the second to press the assault until dusk, followed by fresh troops at night to deny them any respite.'

Yet Kamus of Kashan rejected Piran's prudent counsel with fierce pride, shouting: 'Such hesitation is unworthy of us! Why delay against so few? Let us unleash a single, overwhelming storm, close the mountain passes upon them, and sweep through Iran to lay waste to their realm—sparing neither throne, king, nor peasant! We must strike before dawn and leave mounds of Iranian corpses upon these slopes!' Enchanted by Kamus's aggressive resolve, the Khagan of China acclaimed his plan, and all the chieftains assented. Thus, throughout the dark night, the allied army busied itself preparing for an all-out, fateful onslaught.