Parthian Ancient Country, Heaven City. Twenty miles outside the city.
A group of scattered civilians, dressed in long robes with their heads wrapped in cloth, trudged arduously through the desert.
They were accompanied by only two camels, laden with luggage, which slowed their progress.
"Uncle, I'm so tired..."
A dirt-smeared child with a tender voice said wearily, "I want to drink water..."
Both in appearance and voice, it was hard to distinguish gender. Her dark skin and scrawny body made her look as ugly as a little monkey.
"Hold on a bit longer, Kasan!"
The man leading the camel said softly, "We're almost there..."
He looked around cautiously, retrieving a small black flat earthenware jug the size of his palm from the camel's saddlebag. Its maximum capacity was about one liter, but now it swayed, making a clear, rain-like sound – it was obvious that the water inside was almost gone.
