Gieve escapes Ecbatana after having a clash with Silvermask, who makes use of the underground tunnels to strike the palace from within, while the Lusitanian forces, assisted by the slaves, break into the capital and conquer it.

Arslan's small group is reunited at Peshawar and they begin looking at using the army there to take back the rest of Pars.

The Kingdom of Turan decides to take advantage of Pars's moment of weakness to invade, forcing Arslan to abandon his plan to retake Ecbatana in order to secure the border at Peshawar.

The Turanians regroup and prepare to make another attempt to take Peshawar Fortress, this time, using more underhanded means. Meanwhile, Andragoras makes good his escape from Ecbatana and the Lusitanians.

Arslan continues his quest to raise an army of 50 thousand, as well as the capital required to fund such an army. His immediate obstacle is the suspiciously obsequious Viceroy of Gilan, Pelagius.