Gram Gram grabbed Henry by the scruff of his neck, punched a hole into time and space, and dove straight through. Henry felt the chill of the great wide nothing immediately. It sheared at him, dug deep, past clothes and skin. Gram Gram was completely unaffected, she looked like she was on a stroll through the park.

Just as soon as it started, it stopped. Out of the frying pan into the fire. From cold darkness, to intense heat and pressure. Henry felt ki pushing down on him. Pressure like he had never experienced before. It was like the world itself was trying to squeeze him till he popped.

Gram Gram taped him on the forehead, and just like that the pressure and heat relented. He was able to focus on the crazy landscape in front of him. Soaring spires of stone in a sea of flames and lava, as far as the eye can see. On the surface of the lava lake there were rock mermaids swimming, frolicking without a care. Flying in the air were magpies made completely of flame, darting and twirling before combusting into ash.

“Pretty magnificent isn’t it dear?”

“Pretty fucking cool, I mean yes Gram Gram very magnificent,” he said feeling strangely bashful about cussing in front of Gram Gram.

“This is my winter home dear, we can stay here for your training. No one really bothers me here.”

She held him like an accessory, as they drifted slowly into the lake of lava.

“Gram Gram, I’m not fireproof and that's a lake of lava.”

“Hush, this is the cool part as you would put it,”she said mischievously.

The two cultivators plunged into the lava. Henry braced for his feet to be melted off. Instead he was met with a nice gentle warmth. It was like dipping your toes into a perfectly drawn bath. The lava parted for them as they moved through it. There was a giant castle at the bottom of the lake.

Henry marveled at the structure. It was large and imposing. Big parapets and giant walls surrounded the structure. There was a moat for some reason. He was confused why that was even necessary. Choosing not to question Gram Gram’s architectural choices, he just took it all in.

“Gram Gram you’re right, this is pretty cool.”

Standing ramrod straight at the main gate was a butler. The guy looked so proper that Henry half expected him to speak in a snobby accent. He was not disappointed.

“Madam, it is always a pleasure to receive your august presence at Flamestone Castle.”

“Thank you Sebastian, this is my grandson Hen Ri, he will be staying with us for the foreseeable future,” Gram Gram said as she made her way through the gates. Henry followed along like a puppy in a new house.

“I will alert the staff madam, to have a room made up for Master Hen Ri, will you be requiring anything else.”

“No, you may go Sebastian, that will be all.”

“Very well madam.”

The butler bowed once and was gone. Henry really needed to learn how all these people could do that. It was pretty impressive.

They entered the castle and Henry was doing the shocked tourist look again. The lava that surrounded him stayed outside as he stepped onto plush carpeted floors. The interior of the castle was awe inspiring. It made the Dragon’s Horde feel like some cheap two bit hotel.

Dark lava rocks made up the stone walls. Rich, blood red tapestry hung everywhere. Gold was the general decoration theme, everything was covered in it. In glass cases were things that screamed at Henry with their potential energy. Gram Gram was loaded, he was sure of it.

So why was Goldy slumming it, why did he not just get a loan from her.

As if she was reading his mind, and let's be serious she probably was, Gram Gram spoke.

“My son, your master has always been very prideful, even for a dragon. He didn’t want any handouts, and he definitely didn’t want any help from mommy dearest.”

There was remorse and sadness in her tone. Henry had always been a mama’s boy, so he reflexively patted her on the back

“Goldy is an idiot Gram Gram, but I think if he could have asked for help, he would have.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Gram Gram looked so much frailer now, standing alone in this giant castle by herself. He felt a pang of sympathy for the old lady. As tired as he was, Henry threw on a big stupid smile and said, “hey show me more of your sweet digs Gram Gram”.

“You’re a good boy Hen Ri, come you need a bath and some rest, you look and smell terrible.”

She walked briskly up the stairs with Henry following after. Making turns almost at random, she led Henry to a section of the mansion that seemed abandoned. All the rooms looked to be vacant. Dozen of darkened rooms, except one that had a soft glow coming out from under it. Standing outside was the butler again.

“The suite is ready for the young master, madam. I have also taken the liberty to draw a bath for him.”

“Thank you Sebastian, as always your service is impeccable,” Gram Gram said, as she shooed Henry into the room.

“Clean up dear boy, and when I’m ready, I will have someone come collect you.”

With that she turned on her heels and disappeared into the maze of corridors.

Henry stood there, in what felt like a small condo. He just couldn’t help staring at the gigantic bed with its fluffy pillows and perfectly soft looking blankets. All of his exhaustion finally crept up on him. He had not slept, since he was transported to this damn world.

Gram Gram was right though he stunk.

Next to the fireplace was the bath; a big porcelain tub with clawed feet. The water was the perfect temperature when he put his hand in. On a tray table next to it, lay some fancy soaps and creams.

“If the young master would undress I will have your clothes laundered, or incinerated judging by its sorry state.”

Henry jumped in fright.

“Holy crap man, you scared the shit out of me, make some noise next time when you’re around..”

“Also please don’t call me young master. I hate that,” Henry said as he started to strip.

“Just call me Henry.”

“That would not be proper young master, you are her ladyship's grandson, your dishonor would reflect poorly on her.”

If snobbery was a person, it would be taking lessons from Sebastian.

“The bathtub heats and cleans itself. The soaps and creams are for you to experiment with, at your leisure.”

Man this guy was intense, Henry thought as he slid into the water.

“I shall be back with some refreshment and a spare change of clothes for the young master. If you need anything else there is a bell on the tray, ring it and someone will be with you shortly.”

Henry was already in the tub making a mess of the soaps before Sebastian could finish. The butler gave him a quirk of his perfectly shaped eyebrow, then silently walked out of the room.

I don’t think that guy likes me very much, Henry thought as he scrubbed layers of filth off of himself. Luxuriating in the tub, he let the craziness of the last forty-eight hours wash away.

Gram Gram is insanely powerful, like to the point he thought she was actually downplaying her abilities. So why was she being so nice to him? He understood that she wanted to see her son again, but why train him. Henry mixed the steaming water and soap watching them separate slowly. Did she really see Henry as family? He never knew his grandparents growing up. He knew that he had them of course, but his mother was very vague about the details. He kinda liked the old lady, she seemed the type that would drink a beer with him in private. Henry heard a noise and was stirred from his mental musings.

There was a knock on the door and a polite cough.

“Come in.”

The door opened and in walked five maids. They all had different colored hair, but were otherwise dressed identically. Each girl was holding a silver platter laden with food. Sebastian followed the maids, with a stack of clothes in his arms. With grace that Henry could never hope to replicate, they set a feast up next to the bathtub. Everything was perfectly within arm’s length.

“Young master, dinner should be ready soon but for the time being feel free to snack while the girls dress you.”

“Uhh, come again, I can dress myself thank you very much,” Henry said, eying the maids. They were all very cute, but he had to draw the line somewhere.

“Do we displease you master?,” said the redhead.

“No it's not that, it's just…”

“We haven’t had a guest in a long time, we just thought we could be of service,” the one with blue hair said looking dejected.

“Now girls, if the young master said that you are not useful, then you are to be dismissed.”

Five sets of doe eyes looked at him all at once. This fucking bastard butler, he knew what he was doing. Actually Henry was confused, what was Sebastian doing?

“See here, I never said that, just leaving five young girls alone with a man doesn’t seem like a very proper thing to do, now does it.”

Haha, gotcha Sebastian.

The green haired one spoke up.

“Young master, we are not young.”

“Zi here is the youngest one out of all of us,” she said pointing at the purple haired girl, “and she is five hundred years old.”

Henry had nothing to say, of course they were, because why not, it was just xianxia things after all.

Sebastian nodded to the maids briskly, and gave the bundle of clothing to the pink haired one.

“Girls, please make sure the young master is adequately dressed for dinner.”

With military discipline the five maids all bowed as one to the retreating butler. Then also as one they trained their gaze on Henry.

Henry was pretty sure he saw a very peculiar glint in all their eyes. Like a fox in a hen house, he suddenly felt very vulnerable.