In the borderlands of Bost, Faramarz was consumed by agonizing grief. The capture of his white-haired grandfather Zal, bound in iron chains by the Kianian monarch Bahman, and the tragic demise of his father Rostam had filled the young champion's heart with fiery sorrow and vengeance. Gathering the luminous nobles of Zabulistan and Kabol, Faramarz spoke with a heavy heart, recalling the prophetic warnings of his uncle Zavareh. Long ago, Zavareh had cautioned Rostam that Esfandiyar's line would one day demand blood for blood, yet Rostam, in his proud glory, had dismissed the advice. Now, those dire prophecies had come to pass: Bahman had marched forth with a host dark as a thundercloud to exact retribution for Esfandiyar, Nush-Azar, and Mehr-nush.
Faramarz lamented how their glorious lineage, which had served as Iran's unbreakable shield for generations, was now being devastated, its realm plundered, and its elders shackled. Moved by his grief, the loyal chieftains of Zabul swore absolute allegiance, declaring themselves his steadfast servants unto death. Reinvigorated by their fierce resolve, Faramarz donned his battle mail, assembled his forces, and marched forth to face the Kianian king.
When news reached King Bahman, he was inflamed with rage upon his throne. He mobilized his army and advanced into the rugged territory of Ghor. The two armies collided in a cataclysmic clash. The dust raised by thousands of horsemen blotted out the glowing sun, while the roar of war-trumpets and Indian bells shook the very foundations of the mountains. For three days and three nights, the bloody carnage endured without respite. Arrows rained down like deadly hail, axes splintered shields, and heavy maces smashed armor, leaving mounds of the slain towering across the blood-soaked earth.
On the fourth day, the tides of war turned when a violent windstorm erupted, blowing dense clouds of blinding dust directly into the faces of the Zabul forces. Blinded and demoralized, the warriors of Zabul and Kabol broke formation and fled the field, abandoning Faramarz. Though left with only a handful of loyal fighters and his body covered in sword wounds, Faramarz fought like a wounded lion, refusing to retreat.
Eventually, the warrior Yaz-Ardashir overwhelmed the exhausted hero and dragged him in chains before King Bahman. Showing no mercy or clemency for the line of Rostam, Bahman ordered a tall gibbet to be erected. Faramarz was bound and suspended alive upside down upon the gallows. Then, at the King's command, the Iranian archers raised their bows, subjecting the formidable prince of Zabulistan to a brutal rain of arrows until his valiant spirit departed.