Cloud Ruins

* Icon
* Map

**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.

## Appearance

### 8-Bit

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

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

### 8-Bit

* 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.

### Linear

#### Power Seal #1

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

#### Power Seal #2

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

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

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

### Initial Dialogue, First Visit

  Shopkeeper | Sorry, I just can't get over the hat.

### Any stories to share?

*For the main article, see The Shopkeeper's Stories.*

  Shopkeeper | 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.

### Level boss

  Shopkeeper | I'm not sure, but if all else fails, attack the fireballs.

## Achievements

*For the main article, see Achievements.*

## Trivia

* 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.

## Interactive Locations Map

Ninja Village
Music Box
Autumn Hills
Rivière Turquoise
Forlorn Temple
Catacombs
Dark Cave
Tower of Time
Corrupted Future
Bamboo Creek
Howling Grotto
Elemental Skylands
Quillshroom Marsh
Sunken Shrine
**Cloud Ruins**
Glacial Peak
Searing Crags
Underworld