Cloud Ruins is the eleventh area of The Messenger. It is a crumbling ruins, high above the clouds. Centuries ago, Cloud Ruins was the home to sky giants before they were eradicated by demons.
Ninja enters the Cloud Ruins for the first time after leaving the Tower of Time for the first time. Ninja leaves the Cloud Ruins and falls into the Underworld after completing the Evil Manfred boss fight. Later on in the game, Ninja can return to the Cloud Ruins by talking to Ruxxtin's Staff at the top of Glacial Peak while Ninja owns Ruxxtin's Amulet.
Contents
Appearance[edit | edit source]
8-Bit[edit | edit source]
Cloud Ruins is a beige ruins composed of columns and crumbling buildings. The ruins are decorated with mystic blue runes. Throughout the ruins are pieces of crumbling statues of the sky giants, like lone heads, lone hands, and lone feet. Green vines, moss, and shrubs grow all over the ruins, and many trees are planted on pieces of floating ground.
The background is black and foreboding, with lightning strikes and fast-moving clouds sweeping across the top and bottom of the screen from right to left. Due to the lack of sunlight, the background architecture is dimly lit.
16-Bit[edit | edit source]
Same as 8-bit, but the background is bright and sunny, with calm white clouds close to the bottom edge of the screen. In the distance are buildings similar in nature to the ruins that Ninja directly explores.
Items[edit | edit source]
8-Bit[edit | edit source]
- After Ninja gains the power to time travel, he returns to Cloud Ruins and platforms across three-quarters of the entire level. He reaches a lone platform with Acro the Phobekin, and he can talk to Acro to "collect" Acro.
Power Seals[edit | edit source]
- For the main article, see Power Seals.
Linear[edit | edit source]
Power Seal #1[edit | edit source]
In 16-bit, in a room with a checkpoint directly next to three breakable blocks, break the blocks and head down into the Power Seal room. Cling to the first vertical moving wall, Rope Dart the lantern at the center of the room, and cling to the second vertical moving wall. Climb above to collect the Power Seal.
Final[edit | edit source]
Power Seal #2[edit | edit source]
In 8-bit, in a tall vertical room that is empty besides a breakable block and a moving platform in the lower-left corner, climb to the very top of the room. Head into the next room where there is a singular checkpoint and nothing else. Head below into the Power Seal room where there are three Manhattan Banshees. Rope Dart the Manhattan Banshees and Cloudstep to reach the Power Seal.
Power Seal #3[edit | edit source]
In a room with a horizontal time rift next to a checkpoint, drop down through the time rift while heading left. Enter the next room and Rope Dart the ring to the left to reach the Power Seal room. Continuously move to avoid getting hurt by the spikes then collect the Power Seal.
Power Seal #4[edit | edit source]
Traverse the entirety of the Cloud Ruins. At the final shop checkpoint, Cloudstep a lantern and climb upward to reach a Power Seal room with two Big Time Shards.
The Shopkeeper's Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Initial Dialogue, First Visit[edit | edit source]
 Ninja
|
What happened? I warped or something, and everything looks different now... |
 Shopkeeper
|
... |
| Ninja
|
Hello? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Ok THAT is a really cool hat. |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
|
Seriously, wow! |
| Ninja
|
... Any idea what happened though? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Sorry, I just can't get over the hat. |
Current area[edit | edit source]
| Shopkeeper
|
Welcome to the Cloud Ruins, remnants of a civilization of giants that used to live in the sky. |
| Ninja
|
This place is beautiful, but the structures feel precarious. |
| Shopkeeper
|
Yeah, bad place if you're afraid of heights. |
| Ninja
|
How high am I? |
| Shopkeeper
|
You mean, in my opinion? |
| Ninja
|
What? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Oh, geographically. Well, you entered the Tower of Time at the top of the mountain, and then exited through the top of the tower. So I'd say fairly high. |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
|
Enjoy the sights. |
New look[edit | edit source]
| Ninja
|
What's the deal with everything looking so different? |
| Shopkeeper
|
You know, I was wondering how you were going to deal with the implications of time travel. It seems ignorance really is bliss. |
| Ninja
|
Pardon? |
| Shopkeeper
|
That moment in the Tower of Time? |
| Ninja
|
Yeah? |
| Shopkeeper
|
IT SENT YOU TO THE FUTURE! |
| Ninja
|
... Neat. |
| Shopkeeper
|
Yes, precisely. Neat. |
[edit | edit source]
- For the main article, see The Shopkeeper's Stories.
| Ninja
|
Do you have any stories to share? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Of course, here's one for you. There was once a starving little boy who never missed a chance to help his fellow villagers. One day, after helping an old man carry a heavy bundle of wheat, he was offered a loaf of bread. "Eat your fill, my boy, it is well deserved", he began, "but if you feel like helping even more, there are two gnomes hiding in the forest who are even hungrier than you are." Now that boy was an empathetic one. His mind was made up instantly. After a short hike, he found the gnomes and split the bread between the two of them, without even saving a bite for himself. "Thank you, kind little boy", the gnomes beamed "it seems you have lifted our curse." Indeed, to punish them for their greed, a spirit had put them under a rather annoying spell. They were exiled to the forest, carrying a magic little mill capable of producing anything its bearer desired. But the little mill's magic would only be activated once the gnomes were fed by a stranger acting out of selfless generosity. To starve while carrying a relic promising abundance, a cruel fate indeed. Now you can imagine the little boy's surprise when he was given the magic item. "Name something you want while turning the crank to the right, and the little mill will produce an endless stream of it", the gnomes explained. "Turn it to the left, and it will stop." After creating a huge pile of food for the two gnomes, the young boy went back to his village to help the populace with his newfound powers. But as he grew in popularity, his older sister grew in jealousy. One night she couldn't take it anymore, and stole the little mill from her brother's bedside table, along with two leftover pies from that afternoon's feast. Adding insult to injury, she left on the family's fishing boat to reach new lands, hoping to have her turn in the role of the popular purveyor. Once out at sea, she decided to try one of the pies, which to her taste were lacking a little something. It was time to try that little mill's magic, she reckoned. "Give me salt!" she said, turning the crank to the right. And salt she got. Heaps and heaps of it. Now, older sister had never bothered paying attention to how the mill could be stopped. "STOP! LITTLE MILL, STOP!" she shouted, first annoyed, then worried, and finally panicked. Salt soon overflowed the boat itself, sinking it under the weight. It is said that the sunken little mill is still operational to this day, and is the reason why seawater is salty. The end. |
| Ninja
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That was interesting, but it feels more like a kid's story explaining things about the world we know the actual reason for. |
| Shopkeeper
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Tough crowd, huh? Why don't you tell me a story and I'll judge it? |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
|
So, you're looking for additional takeaways? How about this: seeing how big sister's anger led to her demise, irritated people were henceforth referred to as "salty". |
| Ninja
|
... |
| Shopkeeper
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Oh I got another one: seeing how big sister's shortcomings as a little mill operator led to her demise, unqualified people were henceforth referred to as not being "worth their salt". Hey this is fun. You should go, I'll keep on coming up with morals to do with salt. |
Initial Dialogue, Second Visit[edit | edit source]
| Ninja
|
So... cool hat... |
 Shopkeeper
|
Oh you like that? Is it why you chose to wear one as well? |
| Ninja
|
What? |
| Shopkeeper
|
Well, you have the same hat. |
| Ninja
|
No, I got it first. |
| Shopkeeper
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Oh, is that what you're going to tell yourself? Fine. |
| Ninja
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I did have the hat first and you were all over it. |
| Shopkeeper
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Right, yeah that all happened. Sure. |
| Ninja
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It's true though. |
| Shopkeeper
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Look, you can put your head in the sand all you want in an attempt to preserve your ego, but clearly it's not going to work on the person that was there when it all happened. |
| Ninja
|
... |
Level boss[edit | edit source]
| Shopkeeper
|
Hey, I'm not sure what's up next, but The Prophet wanted me to repeat a line for you at this point in the adventure. |
| Ninja
|
Alright, let's hear it. |
| Shopkeeper
|
Ok, I always wanted to try the voice. Check it out. *ahem* AND ON THIS DAY, THE MESSENGER SHALL UNWITTINGLY MAKE HIS LIFESAVER INDEBTED TO HIM |
| Ninja
|
... And that means? |
| Shopkeeper
|
I'm not sure, but if all else fails, attack the fireballs. |
Achievements[edit | edit source]
- For the main article, see Achievements.
 |
Sweet 16! Time travel to the future |
Trivia[edit | edit source]
Mistextured wall edge.
- In 8-bit Cloud Ruins, there is a mistextured wall edge in the style of the Catacombs wall edge.
- Cloud Ruins is named in homage to a stage of the same name in Little Nemo: The Dream Master.[1]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
Interactive Locations Map[edit | edit source]
| Locations in The Messenger | |
|---|---|
| Messenger Island | Ninja Village • Autumn Hills • Forlorn Temple • Catacombs • Bamboo Creek • Howling Grotto • Quillshroom Marsh • Searing Crags • Glacial Peak • Tower of Time • Cloud Ruins • Underworld • Dark Cave • Rivière Turquoise • Sunken Shrine • Elemental Skylands • Corrupted Future • Music Box |
| Voodkin Island | Open Sea • Voodkin Shore • Fire Mountain • Voodoo Heart |
| Miscellaneous Locations | The Shop • Tower of Time HQ • The Craftsman's Corner • The Void |
