An early illustration of a Crimson Blade member. It appears as though the seven luminary blade, Masamune, that is used by Auron in the game was their standard equipment at the time.

•Inside the Yevon Dome

The Song of Prayer drifts on the air. The youths we saw outside are looking around the interior. A portrait of a man in the prime of life has been etched on the ceiling. Tidus’ friends leave the dome with an air of impatience.

•Road to the Yevon Dome

Tidus runs at great speed.
The number of casualties due to monster attacks flashes on a luminous notice board on the corner.

•Registan Crowds

The Song of Prayer can be heard faintly. There are monsters. A group of warriors clad in red are attempting to surround them. The warriors hide their faces behind red masks. Only one man remains unmasked. He appears to be the commander of the group. The red warriors surround the monsters. Surrounding them are a great crowd of curious onlookers (you can see the warriors from over the shoulders of the crowd). The luminous notice board is broadcasting an out-of-place advertisement for canned goods, then an image showing the time.

The warriors begin attacking the monsters and achieve a too-easy victory. They perform a set pose (resembling a salute). The group’s nervousness passes to the crowd of onlookers. The crowd calls out in admiration. We learn from their cheers that the name of the group is the Crimson Blades and that the commander is called Auron.

Auron notices a black-garbed man standing in the crowd. The man (a Guado) takes his leave at once.

The Crimson Blades pursue the man in black. They push their way forward through the crowd of onlookers.

•Outside the Yevon Dome (Evening)

Tidus passes the people coming to pray and runs up the steps between the youths sitting on the ground.

•Inside the Yevon Dome (Evening)

Tidus looks as though he is searching for someone. We see couples rendezvousing from afar. We see the time on the wall clock. It is a little after 19:25 (?). (We can see a portrait of a man in the prime of life on the ceiling.)

Tidus is alone, looking puzzled. Looking bored, he exits the dome.

Nojima: In this version of the plot, Auron worked as a Crimson Blade, exterminating monsters in Zanarkand. He wasn’t undead at the time…

Toriyama: But when we started to think about ? to do with the comings and goings and Zanarkand, we couldn’t avoid making him undead.

Kitase: There was also a time when we’d planned to have Tidus be undead.

Nojima: I was the one who wrote that scenario, but the next day I just happened to watch a certain movie and went “Oh no!!!!” *laughing*

Kitase: The main character of that movie turned out to be dead as well, so we ended up scrapping that scenario… but since Auron wasn’t the protagonist, we could make him the undead one.

Watanabe: I’d considered having Auron be Jecht. Pretending to be Auron, but actually turning out to be Jecht. I planned to have him watching things all along, but that would have resulted in Jecht having a leading part, so I gave up on the idea.