Olivia is one of the primary human protagonists in the Sword Dancers series. An 18-year-old Nigerian-American student from Los Angeles, she becomes the partner of the alien cypher Haze. Together, they form one of the academy’s new strike-force knights. Olivia is known for her warmth, directness, and strong sense of personal and cultural identity.
Appearance
Olivia is a tall, thin Nigerian-American young woman with a medium light brown complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. She is fashionable but favors simple, clean outfits—most often jeans and a white shirt. Her hair is styled in a bob cut with a bang that frames her face.
When bonded with Haze, she assumes her Knight Form, gaining sleek, form-fitting armor in deep blue with white and silver segments accented by touches of gold. The suit enhances her thin, athletic silhouette and features large angular blue shoulder plates that echo the alien design language of the cyphers. Her hook swords are oversized, stylized weapons with square interiors and sweeping hooked blades, giving her a distinctive and visually striking combat profile. Her stance and posture in this form convey confidence, readiness, and a protective nature, aligning perfectly with her personality.
History
Early Life
Olivia grew up in an upper-middle-class household in Los Angeles. She attends a local public high school and dreams of becoming a nurse. As the oldest of three daughters, she took on a leadership role within her family. Her parents divorced shortly before she entered high school, shaping much of her emotional maturity and independence.
Volume 1
Olivia begins Volume 1 breaking up with her boyfriend Tyree, feeling that he lacks focus regarding his future. Days later, she visits him out of lingering concern—only to discover Tyree and Colin have bonded with mysterious alien cyphers.
Haze, wounded and dying, attempts to bond with Olivia. The sudden encounter frightens her and enrages Tyree. However, Olivia’s curiosity wins out, and she later sneaks onto the military academy to confront Tyree and learn more.
By this point, the four cyphers have been confiscated by Commander Abbrendondo. Olivia reconciles with Tyree, and along with Colin and Ashley, joins him in town—only for both the academy and town to be attacked by artificial cyphers.
The group returns to base, where Tyree and Ashley re-bond with Crush and Flair. Eager to help, Olivia chooses to bond with Haze. Together, the four human–cypher pairs help defend the town and assist in recovery efforts. During the battle, Abbrendondo is injured and loses his bond with Razor, who returns to Colin.
The cyphers reveal their former teammate, Venus, has turned against them and seeks to conquer Earth. The team resolves to stop her. In the final battle, Ashley is briefly possessed by Venus, but with Olivia and Tyree’s help, she is freed.
Afterward, the cyphers consider decommissioning themselves to prevent misuse—but Crush, Flair, and Haze choose to remain with their partners. Olivia’s parents eventually accept Tyree, and the group is officially recognized as the academy’s new strike force.
Personality
Olivia is warm, energetic, and sunny. She is confident in her appearance, unashamed of wardrobe mishaps, and stands proudly in her Nigerian heritage. She is outspoken about issues such as colorism in the Black community and refuses to shy away from difficult conversations.
She is direct and confrontational, especially with Tyree, but never cruel. Her compassion drives her to help others in need, and she deeply values connection and experiences. She lives to protect innocents from harm, and seeing people in danger brings out an overwhelming desire to step in and help. Olivia dislikes physical fighting and instead relies on Haze’s defensive, precise abilities.
Powers and Abilities
First Aid & Medical Knowledge
Medicine: Olivia has extensive self-taught and practical medical knowledge. She can perform first aid, stabilize injuries, and provide advanced non‑combat medical care. Her interest in biology, chemistry, and pharmacology makes her the team’s unofficial medic.
Haze (Cypher Partner)
Haze grants Olivia several enhanced abilities through their bond.
Body Armor
Haze transforms into living armor, shielding Olivia from extreme force and high‑energy attacks.
Hook Swords
Haze can form a pair of sharp hook swords capable of cutting through dense materials. They can also be used with surgical precision.
Force Field
Olivia can generate powerful force fields through Haze. These can be shaped for various effects, including:
- Energy capture and redirection
- Encasing or trapping opponents
- Expanding the field to protect an area or group
- Flight through controlled force propulsion
- Projecting kinetic force blasts
- Creating pressure bubbles inside openings (not harmful to living beings)
- Forming cushions to prevent injury from falls or impacts
- Shielding against most forms of energy, magic, or psionic influence
- Cutting off airflow to incapacitate a foe
- Projecting a field around distant targets or objects
Trivia
- Olivia dislikes physical confrontation but excels at defensive tactics.
- She is the most medically knowledgeable member of the team.
- Her bond with Haze is the most emotionally driven and intuitive among the cypher partnerships.
- She is passionate about helping marginalized communities and plans to enter the medical field after graduation.