SORATA : The maiden name of your mother, before she married was "Magami." Magami, which is written with "Shin" as in shinjitsu, and "Kami" as in Kami-sama.
[Shinjitsu = Truth; Kami-sama = God; Sorata is describing the Chinese characters used to spell the name Magami; since many characters are pronounced identically, it is helpful to mention other words which use the same character]
Those of the Magami family are "kage-nie"
[Shadow + Offering]
KAMUI : Kage-nie?
SORATA : Kamui, do you know about "Migawari-ningyou"?
[Substitute + Doll]
It's a doll used in ancient sorcery to receive various misfortunes and troubles in lieu for a human being. That's what it is. As for "Kage-nie"...By becoming the "shadow" of some person, they become an "offering", receiving all of his misfortune in place of him. In otherwords, a living "Migawari-ningyou". By becoming the "Kage-nie" of people born of nobility and important politicians of Japan, they accept all the misfortune that these people should receive. That is the occupation of the Magami family. What is the identity of the "Kage-nie" of the Magami family? What guy is the Magami family receiving the "Migawari-ningyou" for? Nobody knows. Even to the people of Kouyasan, where I'm from, the Magami family is a mysterious clan. Some say that some people in the Imperial family are under the care of the Magami family and others say that about half of Japan's Prime Minsters have had the Magami family as Kage-nie.
KAMUI : Mother was...
SORATA : If it's a leading figure of Japan, the misfortunes they catch are no laughing matter. There are probably many guys who have grudges, and if he makes the wrong move, he'll be in deeper shit than just losing his life. The people of the Magami family, by making themselves into Kage-nie, manipulate events so that the misfortunes of the supplicant befall themselves instead. And it seems they also have knowledge of techniques to avoid this misfortune. They're not your typical, ordinary sorcerors, you know, because they are protecting the guys who support Japan while putting themselves in danger. The mother who bore Kamui... I wondered what kind of incredible person she was, but of course, she was a member of the Magami family. Certainly, if she was Magami, then she was highly qualified to become the mother of "Kamui."
KAMUI : However... Mother burnt to death. Was this the reason?
ARASHI : I think that is incorrect. You said your mother passed away by burning.
KAMUI : Yes...
ARASHI : About when did she pass away?
KAMUI : ... Two weeks ago.
ARASHI : If she was of the Magami family, and she was also a woman possessing the qualities needed to become the mother of "Kamui", she would certainly have become the "Kage-nie" for someone. Also...It would be someone "who absolutely must not die," in Japan; She probably protected this person. If your mother, who was a "Kage-nie", passed away by being enveloped in flames, then the one she protected should also have burned up.
SORATA : ...I haven't heard of such a famous person burning to death.
ARASHI : I also do not recall hearing any such rumors.
SORATA : Concerning the Magami family, even among the guys who are acquainted with the inner workings of Japan, there are only a handful of people who know this. Because they are top secret guys. Even at Kouya, the ones who know are slightly more than ten people. Miss. To become that well-informed about the Magami family... Where do you fit in?
The death of Kamui's mother Toru is what sends him to Tokyo. Kamui's meeting with his aunt Tokiko also changes his life in a drastic manner.
Toru is Kamui's mother, and perhaps the strongest influence in his life. Her death causes Kamui to seek revenge. Kamui is so driven by the desire to punish the people he believes killed his mother, that he is fully willing to disregard the welfare of the world in order to gain his revenge. Toru raised Kamui with the help of the Monou family, and taught him to always be strong. She also taught him to love. Kamui's love for Fuuma and Kotori are what eventually lead him to make the choice between the Dragons of Heaven and Earth.
Tokiko is Toru's little sister. She last saw Toru when she was in middle school and Toru was in high school. One night, Toru woke Tokiko in the middle of the night and said to her :
"I bear the child of a man. This is a child I bear for the sake of the Earth."
When Kamui first meets Tokiko, he is carrying an injured Kotori to the school infirmary. Tokiko is the nurse there, and Kamui does not realize she is his aunt as he has never met her before in his life. Later, Kamui finds Tokiko inhabiting the house he grew up in as a child. Tokiko begins to tell Kamui about his family and his legacy, but is interrupted when Kamui and Sorata must leave to investigate the raising of a kekkai in the Togakushi Shrine. The kekkai raiser turns out to be Arashi who has just defeated a group of shikigami (spirit beasts) shaped like men. The three then head back to Tokiko's house only to discover the entire structure in flames. This sends Kamui into a flashback, and he attempts to rush into the flames, screaming that his mother is inside. Sorata restrains Kamui. Later, it is revealed that Tokiko was kidnapped by an unknown group, possibly the Freemasons. Before being captured, Tokiko sends a telepathic message to Karen, asking her to burn Tokiko's house to the ground. Karen complies. Tokiko escapes from the Freemasons to show Kamui the birth of the second Holy Sword. As was Saya before her, Tokiko is torn apart bringing the Holy Sword into the world. This repeat of her mother's death shocks fragile Kotori into madness.
And Kamui's profile is with the Dragons of Heavens.
