Generation 4 Summary

It all starts with Riley Edwards; a fiction editor who just wanted some excitement in his life. But it was everything but that. Long days at work ended and Riley immediately fell asleep and wasted away. The only thing he considered as a positive part of his life was his brother, Everett.

Riley had some unresolved trauma regarding his father that he didn't even realize. But it slowly became more and more of a prevalent nuisance.

He had many episodes of seeing Edwin when he wasn't even there- one time on a drunken night at the bar, he saw Edwin in the street. Then again in his bathroom mirror, resulting in him crushing it with his fist.

Riley quickly developed an alcohol addiction to cope with with all of the agony he was going through. Everett got more and more worried about him.

On a seemingly normal day at work, Riley's boss finally had an assistant for him. Her name was Ezra Morrison. She says her and Riley went to high school together, but he doesn't remember.

After a client mentioned that he reminded him of Edwin Buchanon, Riley broke down. He laid on the pavement all night, losing all track of time. He woke up to a puppy on his chest. He seemingly had no owner, so Riley decided to take him in. Riley called him Rainy.

When Riley was getting linseed oil at the art store, Ezra happened to be there. She asked him to dinner, and Everett insisted that he accept.

At their dinner, Ezra revealed that she only got the job at the publishing studio to get closer to Riley after having English class with him in high school. He is overwhelmed by this information and runs off crying.

Riley tries to paint again after quitting art for so many years with the paints his brother got him for his birthday, and he breaks down. He blames Westley for the way he suffers over his father, because Westley seems perfectly fine.

Riley continues to sulk in his own misery. Robin is having a party for the release of his new album, and Riley reluctantly attends.

After getting home from the party, Riley attempts to take his own life with Tylenol pills. Depression got the best of him, and he felt like it was all he had left.

A rough recovery and a few therapy sessions later, Riley decided he needed to take a break and just forget about his responsibilities. His grandma Tyler called him and asked him if he wanted to come visit them in Newcrest. This was the perfect opportunity.

In Newcrest, Riley learned a lot. His father left so many of his belongings in his old room. There were morbid old paintings of his, and even a journal of his first ever murder urges. This was a lot for Riley to take in.

Riley took a visit to his Uncle Maurice's house, who he hasn't seen in over 7 years. They had beers together, and Maurice compared him to his father, and he spiraled. He called his grandpa to come get him immediately.

Grandpa Edward decided to tell Riley a story to calm him down. When he was 18, he was drafted into the military. He spent 2 years serving and in that time, he knew Riley's grandpa, Christian.

Before he left Newcrest, Riley decided to visit the spot where his dad was buried after his cremation. He knew it'd be hard, but he never expected to get so much peace from it. It was almost like he left that sorrow all in Edwin's grave once and for all. He felt changed.

When Riley got home from Newcrest, he felt this new sense of life. Him and Everett got an apartment together, he quit going to therapy, quit taking his medication, and even tried to pursue a relationship with Ezra. He didn't end up going through with it, but he tried so hard to convince himself that he wanted to love her.

Ezra admits to Riley that she has a new job as an occult hunter. Riley doesn't believe in occults, but he supports her in her decision to leave the studio.

Westley asked Riley to be his best man, and Riley still being jealous of him, couldn't give him a clear answer. This angered Westley.

After his intense high came an intense low. He crashed and became depressed again, and realized that the way he was feeling wasn't better, it was just a state of mania. Riley didn't know how to deal with his emotions.

He began hiding himself from everyone, and skipping work to stay in his room and cry. Everett was once again worried for Riley's mental state. Westley was constantly calling Riley, and Everett was fed up. Westley was never there for Riley in his dark times, and Everett believed he never truly cared to know him.

Everett tries to convince Riley to take his medicine again, but he insisted he didn't need it. He claimed Everett understood nothing about mental illness and how dearly Riley wished to be "normal".

Riley ran out the house, Everett was unable to find him anywhere. He ended up at his mom's house, and Westley just happened to be there. Westley is furious and yells at Riley, saying that his mental illness is bullshit and he doesn't care about anyone but himself, after Riley ignored his calls for days.

Everett insists that Westley meant nothing that he said, but Riley feels so broken. He feels even more trapped by his mental illness than he did before. Everett suggests he should try to continue his typical schedule, and actually show up to work in hopes it'd help him. Riley accepts.

That morning, Riley died in a car crash. It was a terribly unexpected tragedy.

His family was left utterly devastated. Westley regretted everything, and wished he could apologize to Riley for the last conversation they ever had.

Everett used sex as a way to cope, and hooked up with a lot of girls, even more recklessly than he had before.

Westley left his longtime girlfriend in the midst of his grief.

A funeral is held for Riley, and Everett pours out a heartfelt elegy in Riley's honor. It was a horrible day for everyone.

Westley and Everett sit by Riley's grave and reflect. Sometimes things happen, and sometimes they hurt, but you have to make the best of it. Unfortunately, they will spend the rest of their lives feeling the empty space that Riley's death created.

Riley wakes up, red eyes and throat scorching. There are two strangers sitting in front of him and he's incredibly confused. They introduce themselves as Agitha and Krysta.

Once Riley is adjusted, the girls explain to him that he was turned. They don't know by who or in what circumstances, all they know is that Agitha found him in the woods of Forgotten Hollow while she was looking for herbs.

Riley decides to keep on living with the two girls. During resting period, he starts to feel uneasy, as the thought of his family and where they are becomes more and more prevalent in his mind.

He tries to escape, but to his surprise, there is no way out. Krysta explains that vampires can never enter the human world. Riley is deeply hurt that he'll never see his family again. Krysta tells Riley her story, in hopes of offering him a different mindset. (See Krysta Young)

Krysta takes him job hunting, and finds him a job as a maid in a clothing shop. Him and his coworker, Wendell, get along really well. Riley enjoys the laid back work he does, and holds onto that job for quite a while.

Riley feels so alive, more than he ever has before. Being a vampire is so natural to him, he feels like this is who he has always meant to be.

The seamstress, Gabby, at his job was following him around, and Riley wondered why. He confronted her one day at work, and she admits that she's jealous of the way Riley so easily assimilated into the vampiric lifestyle. Things weren't so easy for her when she was turned. Gabby leaves, and quits her job at the clothing store.

Riley's boss, Dorothy, is at a loss for what to do about Gabby's leaving. Wendell suggest that Riley try and learn to sew to fill in for Gabby. Riley is hesitant but ends up falling in love with sewing.

Months pass, and Riley is loving life as a vampire. He brings in much needed income to the household, and Krysta and Agitha still welcome him with open arms.

One afternoon, Agitha comes in with a letter. It's for Riley. He's being summoned for a work order in the castle. Agitha is delighted, and sees this as a great honor.

Riley is starting his work order at the castle, and it finds out he'll be the servant of Prince Vincent Hallow. He has no idea what to expect, but he knows it will be a lot from the instruction booklet he was given. It detailed the prince's class schedule, his lunch times and more. Riley was starting to think this was more of a babysitting job than a castle work order.

Later that evening, he met his roommate, Louis Abraham, the servant of Prince Edgar.

The morning came, and Riley went to the prince's room to wake him up to start his day. There he met unprepared and nervous Vincent Hallow. Riley had no idea the prince would be this way, and was quite shocked.

After Riley spent his days with Vincent, he felt exhausted. Just when life was starting to get better, it only got worse.

Vincent was insistent on making conversation with Riley, and he wasn't having it. Riley felt bitter and just wanted to go home. Vincent was furious, and told Riley that he was the worst servant ever. He said that Riley shouldn't make everyone around him miserable just because he is.

They spent the next few days angry at each other. Riley hated being there more and more every day.

When Riley came to his room to wake him up one morning, Vincent wasn't answering the door. Riley intruded, only to find him crying in his bathroom. Once he came out, he told Riley that he was fine, but he wasn't buying it. He called Vincent out a sick day, saying that he understood how it feels to not feel your best mentally. Vincent was so grateful that Riley did this for him.

Vincent and Riley would get to know each other a lot more as they spent more time together in the castle.

The Vaughns pay a visit to Vincent shortly before his Coming of Age Ceremony, which sent him in a spiral. He escaped to the human world abruptly, coming home to his mother and her abuse. She punished him by making Riley stay in his room. at all times to make sure he never left again Vincent, deeply hurt by his mother, confided in Riley. He admitted to him that he is gay and has had to hide this part of him for his entire life, as being gay is illegal in Forgotten Hollow.

Riley and Vincent connect a lot more and end up falling in love, sleeping together too. Vincent then admits that he was the one who turned Riley, after escaping to the human world in spite of his mother. He was in Strangerville one evening, and was hurt by the car accident in the area. He made the choice to turn Riley, even knowing there would be terrible consequences. He gives Riley his necklace he's kept for a year now, he chose to keep it in hopes he'd find Riley one day and be able to give it to him.

After Vincent's Coming of Age ceremony, Riley is discharged from his term at the castle. They are very saddened, but Vincent assures Riley they'll meet again.

Riley arrives home and reunites with his girls. They missed him so much! Unfortunately, Agitha has to leave pretty soon after Riley's return. She has to stock up on supplies from the Vaughn Kingdom.

As Krysta is, she suggests that her and Riley go to the human world because Agitha thinks it's too dangerous. They go on a journey of going to the discrete gay bar, exploring the Royal Hallow crypt, and Riley admits he slept with the prince.

[The gay bar: a place where turned, LGBTQ+, and other outcasts go to find community in their oppressive world]

[The Hallow crypt: The gravesite of all the previous members of the royal family. Here, Riley and Krysta figure out that the royals are being killed after their terms are up. There are coffins for King James and Queen Mallory with the dates of their execution on them. Riley assumes that Vincent has no idea about this, and is worried how bad this will mess him up.]

Krysta then takes Riley to an old friend; a spellcaster who makes deals with vampires to get them what they wish for. Krysta has visited the human world many times with his power in the past.

He then casts a spell on Riley and Krysta and they wake up in Glimmerbrook. They are only allowed 3 days there before the spell wears off. Riley is shocked and surprised to be in the human world. They take a train halfway to Strangerville, Riley is nervous. Once they arrive, they stargaze and reminisce on their human lives.

They make it to Strangerville and go straight to Isabelle's house. There they find out Westley has been going to therapy and the whole family is desperately struggling after the recent death of Christian. Riley is crushed, and regrets ever coming.

They then wonder where Everett could be, after Riley remembers their apartment lease was up. They ponder in the woods, when an alarm goes off. Ezra has found them.

Ezra and Riley catch up, and even she doesn't know what happened to Everett. Ezra is confused how Riley is a vampire when he was buried after the funeral.

They make the choice to dig up Riley's grave to find out what really happened. After that is done, they open to see a doll in place of Riley. He is mortified. Ezra theorizes that the Strangerville government couldn't handle another weird missing persons case after the Edwin case, so they covered up his death. They say goodbye to Ezra, she explains how much closure this gave her and how thankful she was to meet him again.

It is now their last day in the human world, and they wonder what they should do. Riley wants to see his grave one last time.

There, Riley is shocked to see Everett kneeled over his grave. Everett is holding a baby, who he talks to and refers to himself as "Dad". Riley assumes he's had a child while he was gone.

Riley says "Take this as you will, but your brother wants you to know he's safe and he's wishing you well" to Everett, who is extremely confused. Riley then starts to disappear, their time is up. He hopes that him saying those small words could give him some closure, without revealing himself, putting Everett in danger. Everett takes his words as a sign.

They wake up back in the old man's cabin. They make their way home, only to find Agitha furious and full of worry.

Riley then reveals to Krysta that he's gay, and he can't keep hiding from his identity, especially now having saw Everett. He knows Everett would never want him to live a lie.

The Kingdom announces that Princess Gwendolynne Vaughn and Prince Vincent Hallow have been married, and the kingdoms are merging. The community is furious, and Riley is crushed to hear about their magical love story. He feels betrayed by Vincent.

A week later, Vincent and Gwendolynne announce their marriage in person to the community. Vincent is shot abruptly, which causes the city to go on strict lockdown. Anyone who leaves their homes will be murdered on site. Everyone is terrified.

In lockdown, Riley starts to feel extremely sick. The girls are confused.

They decide after days of sickness, Agitha should give him a physical. She feels a strong aura coming from his stomach. Riley is pregnant, and no one knows how it's possible.

Throughout Riley's pregnancy, Wendell starts pursuing him. Riley is shocked, and not willing to open up to him. That doesn't stop him from trying.

In Riley's second trimester, Wendell invites Riley to the gay bar. Krysta accompanies them. Riley and Wendell connect and dance together, while Krysta is learning about a turned vampire who got pregnant. She lives in the Vaughn Kingdom, and Agitha, Krysta and Riley decide to go visit her.

Adrian explains her pregnancy and how she made friends with another vampire who did too. It takes 5 years for your organs to completely die, and in that time you are able to bare children. After 5 years, you will become sterile. Riley feels a lot of relief after this visit with Adrian.

Riley gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Drew Meredith Edwards. Krysta, Riley and Agitha are in ultimate baby bliss.

Wendell confesses his love to Riley, and Riley reluctantly accepts. They have a thing going on. Shortly after this, Wendell realizes how distant Riley is, and how used he feels. He ends things for good with Riley and quits his job at the clothing store.

The police of Forgotten Hollow show up at Riley's house and arrest him unexpectedly. Krysta and Agitha rush to the basement with 6 month old Drew, terrified.

Ozias and Tyarus set up an immediate execution for Riley and King Vincent, explaining that a loyal citizen reported they were both gay and are now to be executed. Tyarus is about to murder King Vincent in front of the whole town, when Agitha jumps in front of his blade. Riley is crushed and screams off the top of his lungs, and the town feels the exact same way. They immediately postpone the execution due to the state of the town.

Riley and Vincent are now being held at the local jail, chained to each other in their cell. Riley is bitter and doesn't want to to talk to him. Vincent is insistant, and tries to explain himself and what's gone on with Gwendolynne.

The truth eventually comes out that Vincent and Gwendolynne were arranged, and Vincent picked up a alcohol addiction after feeling trapped in his new life. He admits that he saw Riley and Wendell at the bar, as he spent most of his days there in disguise, and was crushed. Vincent and Edgar had gotten into a fight shortly before Riley was arrested and Edgar reported Vincent, after keeping Vincent's sexuality as blackmail when he saw him and Riley kissing in the garden.

During their jail time, Gwendolynne obliterates Ozias and Tyarus with her abilities that she's hidden from everyone since she was a child. It is revealed that everything they've ever told the community is fake. There are no Gods of Death and they merely faked that to make their oppressive views feel more credible.

Forgotten Hollow is now living as a whole- the Vaughns and Hallows are successfully merged and the royalty was disbanded. They now live a life of true communism, which was the goal all along.

Riley, still feeling lost after Agitha's passing, struggles to understand why she would protect Vincent. Krysta admits that Agitha confided in her 50 years ago, and told her truth [See Agitha Hawthorne] Agitha never wanted Riley to experience the pain that she did, so she sacrificed herself for Vincent.

After a little convincing, Riley and Vincent reconnect and Vincent finally gets to meet his daughter that he knew nothing about. Vincent is really sorry for missing out on her first months and not being there to support Riley through his very isolating pregnancy.

Vincent proposes to Riley, after trading his crown for a ring. Riley is shocked, and they end up getting married a few months later, without the oppressive laws of Ozias and Tyarus.

RIley and Vincent went on to have two more beautiful children: Edna and Beatrice Hallow.

They finally are living their happily ever after.