The sky darkened into lapis lazuli above King Ghatfar as the Hephthalite host was shattered in catastrophic ruin, suffering a defeat so profound that its wounds would not mend for generations. Across the blood-soaked borders, the scattered survivors and the wounded called upon the name of the Almighty, gazing in horror at the realm filled with slain warriors and captive chieftains.
In hushed, terrified tones, the remaining Hephthalites spoke among themselves of the Sasanian army. They swore those Iranian warriors were no mortal men, but dragon-visaged titans who knew no flight. Their claws were as sharp as panthers', their spears reached the clouds, and their endurance was inhuman; they slept upon bare snow without unbridling their steeds, fed their horses on desert thorns, and maintained eternal vigilance with two out of three riders standing watch while the third rested. Realizing that neither the host of the Khagan of China nor the invincible legions of Iran could be resisted, the people of Heftal resolved to submit to Iran's sovereign.
Agreement echoed from the lowliest commander to the highest elder: if Ghatfar refused to lay down his mace and bow before Khosrow Anushirvan—the supreme monarch who exacted tribute even from the Caesars of Rome—they must replace him. They turned to Faghanish, a noble hero of Chaghan lineage renowned for his wisdom, justice, and formidable army. With the blessing of the Hephthalite grandees, Faghanish was elevated to the throne, tasked with restoring youth to the realm's fortune and securing peace with the majestic King of Kings.