Deana
The Capitol Realm. Far far away from the Sea. That was normal at this point. Sylvar traveled all over Aeterna, slowly rebuilding what he had lost. The main thing was work, acting as a spy, mercenary, or actor. Acting came most naturally but a spy and mercenary paid more. Here, in Tyrex City, he was preparing himself for an available job. He would need to visit the individual to find out the extra details. 

For a long while now, he's taken the appearance of what seemed like a Velarian Elf. Long white hair, blue eyes, pale skin. It took minor focus and a clear mind, and it fooled many. As long as he was in the eyes of the public, the disguise would remain. At this moment, he happened to be strolling down a back alley, shrouded by a layer of darkness, away from the crowds within the city. His cat was nearby, ahead of him, lurking in the shadows as she loved to do. She didn't roam far, an ever loyal companion of his. 

Sylvar walked at a normal pace down the alley, simply traveling through it to avoid the crowds. Most people didn't go wandering into dark alleys, specifically in large cities. Of course, the Drow thought he was being cautious but... As it turns out, not really. The cat was aware of what was to happen, but he was not. One moment, he had been walking then there was the sudden rush of air, sound of footprints, then a strong grip around his neck and wrists. It all happened in an instant. His first instinct was panic as the stranger swept his feet from under him, hitting the cobblestone.

— 
The only sound Sylvar made was a faint grunt, with no struggle. He didn't move, because he quickly realized that whoever had found him could kill him in seconds in this position. One thought of his was- how had be been discovered? It was a curious thought, but an understandable one. Sylvar didn't doubt the Captain of the Broken Melody was out for him. Despite the particular fear of a worthless death, he did his best to remain calm. If this stranger intended on killing him, why did they hesitate. It was the perfect opening for him, and the only way out. 

The first thing Noctis would notice was the change of skin color. Sylvar's pale neck changing to a deep obsidian tone before he began to shrink. It only took a few seconds, and that's all he needed. The *Elf* In his grasp turned into a good-sized striped squirrel and began running into the darkness of the alley at a good pace. The cat made no move to follow the squirrel, only watching the scene with bright green eyes.
Helen
*"And there's my thief."* Noctis said in wonder as the squirrel scampered away. Using the same technique he had used against Maze and would later use during the battle against Indaki, he used his "Flash Step" To vanish on the spot and was once again back on the roof. Trying to follow the squirrel with his eyes would be a waste in the dark- so he disabled his eyesight and enhanced his hearing and sense of smell, as well as his tactile abilities. With that he could follow the *Smell* Of the shapeshifter without ever having to see them. After all, in the world of the blind, the one eyed man was king. 

Dashing through the dark- he figured it best to put on something of a show. As Sylvar would approach a street- Noctis would appear in a blink standing in the center of the path, blocking it. Anytime Sylvar turned direction to throw off Noctis, it would almost seem to work until they were close to another exit from the alleys, then Noctis would appear again blocking the path. A menacing hooded figure in the dark, his silver eyes glowing only faintly from his magic use. 

Once Sylvar had gotten winded or was too far trapped, Noctis would speak. 

"Shapeshifting, I've never met someone with the magic talent before, but I've heard of it. I have to say, I'm impressed. Grow a mouth, speak to me- you have a chance to try live tonight." He said, his voice a musical melody, and yet with that slight rasp it was as deadly as it was beautiful. Noctis had once been known as Deaths Lover. He had courted death, tasted it's lips more times than others would have deemed possible to stay sane- and now he'd mastered it and brought it to heel. 

He saw something here, another piece of the puzzle that he was trying to form to get some semblance of control back in his life. He'd been thrown out of time, out of his own role in life- he didn't **Belong** In this world anymore. 

But all the fucking gods would be damned if they would stop him from *Forging* His own purpose again. He'd decided af

Ter meeting Valac that he wanted to know what happened to Scipio, to Emi, to the 11 Demigods, to the Dragons- and most of all, he wanted to see Aeterna know peace like it once had in those beautifully marvelous glory days of olde. Even if it came through fire and flame. 

"My name is Noctis Camille, and I want you to come work for me. Two months- that is the contract. You break it, I kill you. During your employment, you'll be paid monthly and receive 45% of the profits we get from jobs. After two months, you can go your own way or you can continue to work for me with a renegotiated contract."

He knew he was hiring a criminal- but in many senses of the word he and Valac were outcasts, unwanted by this world, what was another black rose in the bouquet he was making?
Deana
*Run.* Sylvar needed to run. That was the first plan. Secondly, he needed a backup plan. With squirrel eyes, combined with natural night vision, he was able to see excellently in the dark. Running quickly down alley, he approached the end, coming to the street but suddenly, the stranger was there, as if he appeared out of thin air. The Drow could tell it was magic, most definitely. It had to be, and it was frustrating because he needed to get away, far away. He wouldn't take the risk of running past Noctis. Those silver eyes only supported his guess of magic, and the extreme strength of the stranger made sense. 

He skidded to a stop and turned in the opposite way, quickening his pace. Sylvar soon knew it was a game. The stranger somehow tracked him in the dark, even when he took a different path. Sylvar would almost be there when he would appear once again. As time went on, he began slowing down, simply because keeping the form intact took a lot of focus. One last time, he was scampering down the path and the Demigod appeared before him again. He stopped a few feet away, but near enough to hear Noctis speak. 

Shapeshifting was rather uncommon, from what he has seen, and Sylvar was quite fortunate to have learned. His teacher was like family, and he was surely dead now. But, he didn't want to accept that. It was a hard truth. A chance to live? A deal, truly. Wonderful. Depending on the deal, he may or may not accept it. It wasn't common for him to make deals with people that try to assassinate him. In squirrel form, he inclined his head slightly, those beady eyes staring into Noctis.

— 
He stood still, waiting for Noctis to speak further about said deal. As soon as he started, Sylvar began to transform. Growing taller and taller, until he took an Elf-like, except he wasn't an Elf like Noctis observed before. Sylvar's hair was the same, delicately braided in some sections. His eyes were reptilian like, a bright yellow that glowed in the darkness. And his skin was a dark purple, so dark it blended with the darkness. His gaze was cold, as he rested his hands on two swords sheathed at his belt. 

An offer of a contract. It wasn't something he normally did, specifically under threat of death but the pay sounded promising at least. "And what if I refuse here and now? I'm rather not fond of being threatened. What type of jobs? Thievery? Murder? Spying?" He took a guess, his expression carefully serious. 

After looking Noctis up and down for a moment, he spoke again, this time an introduction. 

"Sylvar Valrieth," He said with a slight bow, not letting his guard down for a second. His voice was low, but he spoke Modern Imperial perfectly, without an accent.
Helen
Noctis leaned against the wall and stroked his jaw beneath his food, his face cast into a deep darkness where no features could be made out. This wasn't just an elf- a Drow. He'd known a Drow, a friend of Scipio. Noctis thought quite highly of them and their abilities, their natural affinities . It was like being kin. His own abilities hugged their realms. 

"I don't make threats, Sylvar Valrierh. Threats are made by idle fools who do not have the means to carry out their actions, I make assurances that what I say will be done. Tonight I accepted money to take your life- breaking that deal will mean that whoever wants you wants me too. I'm giving you the assurance that for two months you will live, I will ensure it- and you will work for and travel with me. The jobs will be whatever I need you to- thieving is the most likely one, but you won't be limited to it." He said, scratching at his elbow. 

"You don't strike me as a fool, Sylvar. What will it be?" He asked, his raspy but sweet voice carried the question down the dark alley as Noctis tossed the sack of gold to Sylvar. 

"Your first months payment." He said, nonchalantly gazing into the street with his back turned to the Drow. He was a man so entirely confident in the gaps between their strength and ability that he could go so far as to expose his back. 

First he'd met Valac, a small and starved creature from the Beyond. Not much at first, but his regeneration abilities and superhuman abilities, plus his unique affinity for dark magic? A rare find, especially one who was essentially a blank slate for Noctis to write a purpose upon. 

Now a shapeshifter Drow? The potential they held was almost as expansive, perhaps more so. More and more he felt his feet sink against the cruel hard rock he'd landed on. He would conquer this lifetime, even if it did not want him. It was what Scipio would have done.
Deana
Sylvar didn't deny that he was fascinated with Noctis. That extreme strength and skill with magic. Impressive. While the Drow couldn't see his face at this moment, Noctis could quite possibly be a powerful human. That was only a guess. He's interacted with all kinds of species, most often humans or Elves. As a Drow, he never interacted with them as himself. It was simply an act. And it got the job done. 

This deal was sketchy but Sylvar was leaning toward accepting the contract, not because of the previous threat. Most who hired him would put a price on his head anyway if he didn't complete the job. It's happened a few times, more frequently now. Noctis seemed true to his word. *For two months you will live.* That was somewhat assuring. Plenty of time to figure out a plan, for his own goals to settle the bounties. Sylvar could do thievery quite well, without much trouble due to his abilities. Depending on the pay, this will be acceptable. 

No, he wasn't a fool. He's had at least eight years of experience in deals like this one. It would be smart to accept it, and reasoning had nothing to do with intimidation. 

Sylvar inclined his head at the sight of gold, catching the bag easily. He ran his fingers along the bottom. It was most certainly gold. He could sense it. Pure gold. Noctis was bold to have his back to him, clearly displaying confidence in one's abilities. A simple observation. Soon enough, he nodded. 

"Pure gold. Acceptable. When do we start?" He asked simply, confirming he was agreeing to the contract. Two months. Not too bad. 

"Word of advice. Best not to mess with those who hired you to assassinate me." He said rather seriously as a warning. "Just something to keep in mind for future.

— 
Then, he looked past Noctis into the shadows. He whistled and within a few seconds the cat emerged, entering the alley, sprinting past Noctis. Sylvar leaned forward slightly, lowering his right arm. The cat quickly jumped onto his arm, climbing to settle on his shoulder.
Helen
Now he'd gotten his thief, already the plan had begun to roll into motion. He'd need more members to fill out the crew, three people couldn't very well do what he wanted. His goals were too high for that. 

"Right now, we fetch my demon and get some food. We can talk on the way." Noctis said and threw back his hood, his midnight cloak swirling gently around his ankles before settling back down, golden embroidery lined the shoulders and hems of the fine fabric. As they made their way down the street to head towards the outskirts of town, Noctis rested his hand on the pommel of his sword and stroked the ruby rose slowly, letting his thoughts spin. His schemes had only just begun, what he needed were two things above all- money and manpower. Getting both would require work, but it was going to be entirely possible. 

"I like cats, are they a pet or some sort of magical being?" He asked, casting a curious glance at the cat. "As for your first job, you're going to run some reconnaissance for me as soon as I've determined the details. You'll know exactly who and what within a day." He said casually, chewing his lip. 

A shapeshifter was perfect, disguised as an animal or a close ally, they could go almost anywhere that Noctis needed them to. However, if he wanted to really know how best to utilize Sylvar- he needed to learn more about him.
Deana
Sylvar had no idea of the reasoning behind the deal, the reasoning for the jobs but from past experience, he wouldn't ask questions. He would work with any information given, and accept it. He was in it for the money, and that was all. That was most important, one step closer to getting his revenge. For his parents. For his sister. For his teacher. Once Noctis replied, his only reaction was a slight raise of his brow and nod of his head. Demon? How fascinating, but he wouldn't ask, assuming he would find out eventually. 

Studying Noctis again after he threw back his hood, he observed the look of the cloak. It was definitely more on the wealthier side, using his own as comparison. He wore a dark blue cloak that was well-worn from use and weather. Sylvar began to follow Noctis closely, but not before reapplying his Elven disguise, the only changes being his skin color, eye shape and color. 

"No, she's a regular cat, as far as I have observed," He said, responding to the question, giving his cat a glance. She was rather comfortable on his shoulder, kneading the fabric of his cloak, but he didn't seem to mind. He looked back to Noctis as he spoke about his first job. Easy enough. He's done such jobs before without many issues. "Understood. Where do we find this demon of yours?" 

Sylvar kept a steady pace, avoiding most of the crowds within the city. Most didn't spare a glance, good thing for his disguise. He was a master of disguises.