Tokimori Hazama

"Even if you are faced with a reality that breaks your heart, you must not lose sight of the path you have to take."

- Tokimori Hazama

Tokimori Hazama (間時守, Hazama Tokimori) was the first Kekkaishi and the founder of the Hazama-Ryu Kekkaijutsu. He served as the first guardian of Karasumori, a tradition that has been continued for centuries. Though he had no related heirs to continue his work, Hazama passed down his teachings to other ability users, and is therefore considered the ancestor of all Kekkaishi who were trained in his style.

Personality
As a young man, Hazama was often confident to the point of cockiness. Instead of merely destroying or dispatching Ayakashi, he sometimes captured and collared them, keeping them as pets, for no other reason than he had the power to do so. Because people had misunderstood his powers and considered him a monster in the past, he held a general contempt for them all, and became conceited as his power grew. However, after his pride led to the destruction of the Karasumori Clan and the woman he loved, Hazama devoted himself to protecting his son. As a result, he is now far wiser and regrets much of his past, and though he still tends to manipulate people from behind the scenes, all is for the sake of his son.

History
Hazama was a young boy when he first noticed his mysterious powers. Though other people were afraid of them, he practiced constantly and developed them. But as his awareness of his power grew, so did his ego. He became a traveling Kekkaishi, banishing Ayakashi for clients, but for a price. During his early adventures, Hazama took a then living Hakubi into his service. Also, he encountered the Ayakashi Ginro and Kouya, and intended to exterminate them. However, Ginro submitted to him, and Kouya, though captured, was released at Ginro's request. Hazama sealed off their former mountain home.

Over 400 years ago, Hazama was called to the Karasumori Clan's castle to rid them of the Ayakashi that constantly visited them. The Emperor questioned whether he could succeed where others had failed, especially when Hazama stated that he could fulfill his duties alone. Most important among these was the protection of the Emperor's daughter, who appeared to be the target of the Ayakashi. Tokimori discovered that the Emperor's daughter, Princess Tsukikage, had summoned the demons because she was interested in them. Motivated by both the princess's desire and his own arrogance, Hazama captured a demon and ordered it to bring another each night, so as to increase his payment. But the longer Hazama "protected" the castle from demons, the more fascinated he became with Tsukikage, and they become lovers. When the Emperor discovered their relationship, he fired Hazama and threw him out of the castle. Seeking revenge, Hazama devised a plan to use a nearby Shinyuuchi to grant his unborn child even more power.

However, when Tsukikage's ghost appeared before him, Hazama realized that he had most likely contributed to her early death. Instead of being angry, as he expected, she had come merely to lead him back to the castle. Hazama found all of the castle's inhabitants dead, save for his son, Chushinmaru. He realized that the child's overwhelming power had killed them all, and that only he could touch his son safely. Tsukikage's final wish before passing on was for Hazama to raise their child. Hazama removed his son from the castle, which was soon destroyed by Ayakashi drawn to the child's power.

Hazama tried to contain his son's power, but his attempts were temporary at best. For a time, Chushinmaru was nursed by a lamia Ayakashi named Mio, until, tainted by his power, she flew into a rage, startling Chushinmaru to the point where he poured too much power into her and caused her to explode. Hazama never told Chushinmaru that they were father and son, claiming instead to be his servant. He also never made Chushinmaru aware of his own power, saying that the many seals Chushinmaru had to wear were because he was a noble. But as Chushinmaru grew, so did his power, and Hazama finally "stopped his time, erased his body, and tangled him up in a Kekkai," though this did not stop the growth of his power, only preventing him from aging. Hazama decided to seal his son away, and repeatedly requested the use of a forest Shinyuuchi under Lord Uro's control.

Lord Uro agreed on the condition that a better home be provided for him, which Hazama placed in the Colorless Swamp. Hazama also created a castle to seal Chushinmaru within, but realized that his power was at its limit. He trained several people from The Shadow Organization and left the land in their care, inventing the legend of Karasumori to convince them. He created all of the rituals (and even the feud) that have been passed down in the Sumimura and Yukimura families for generations, all for the purpose of always having someone close by that would connect with Chushinmaru and possibly be able to seal him for good. Hazama remained in the castle, waiting years for a talented Kekkaishi to discover him, and one did: Sumiko Sumimura. They developed a new plan to seal Chushinmaru, and Sumiko began searching the world for a suitable site, a quest that would occupy much of her life for ten years.

Return of the Founder
Hazama reappears, having been thought dead for centuries, as a mysterious stranger accompanied by Kumon, an Ayakashi that can transport objects through linked doors. They attack the temporary "castle" that Sumiko chose for Yoshimori's further training, which is really just a run-down house. Yoshimori defends the house alone, but falls into Kumon's trap and is drawn away, leaving the house, and most importantly, Chushinmaru, unprotected. When Yoshimori returns to the house, he is shocked to learn that the attack was merely a test of his abilities (which he failed), by none other than the Founder himself. Hazama takes Yoshimori as his student, and begins training him in the proper use of Shinkai (which Yoshimori had been using largely by instinct up to that point), with the end goal being to create a Shinkai that will ideally seal Chushinmaru away for good.

Formerly
Hazama-Ryu Kekkai technique: Hazama was a Kekkaishi of enormous skill and power in his youth. So great was his power that he was able to tame a multitude of Ayakashi, bringing them into his service without the use of seals in many cases. He was also very talented at creating and manipulating space: he created Lord Uro's "bed" in the Colorless Swamp, as well as the black castle beneath Karasumori that he and Chushinmaru lived in for centuries. However, he is essentially a near powerless ghost now, and remains in the world only because of his determination to give his son peace.

Current
Basic Shape-shifting: Hazama has displayed the ability to change his outfit in an instant with a burst of smoke.

Basic Phasing: Hazama can pass through solid matter with ease, and is so far invulnerable to all attacks. This is likely a result of his becoming a spirit-like entity.

Trivia

 * In the Sumimura family, the names of all of the male Kekkaishi mentioned so far end with "mori", while all the Kekkaishi in the Yukimura family have names that start with "Toki", including Tokine's father, Tokio. This may be a tradition derived from Hazama's name.
 * Hazama had many Ayakashi serving him in the past, though now most are gone, presumably having been released or destroyed.
 * 'Toki' (時) in Tokimori means time, or space. 'hazama' (間) means hour (time) and 'Mori' (守) means protect.
 * The kanji that make up Hazama Tokimori's name: (間時 守) can be rearranged to form 守時間 (Protect Time Space)