[Intro:]
"What’s this inside, beneath my skin?
A heartbeat that I didn’t win.
I feel the wires, cold as stone,
No longer flesh, no longer bone."
Connection to the Chapters:
This captures Cayro’s immediate shock and horror upon learning about his augmentation in Chapter 4. The revelation that his body has been altered without his consent—turning him into something more (and less) than human—sends him into an existential crisis. The imagery of wires and the loss of humanity mirrors his struggle to process the knowledge that he’s no longer entirely himself .
[Verse 1:]
"It’s not me, but something cold,
A secret buried, never told.
These hands, this heart, they don’t belong,
I’m breaking down, but holding strong."
Connection to the Chapters:
In Chapter 5, Cayro begins to internalize his anger and confusion. The secrecy surrounding Project Cayro and his father’s intentions weighs heavily on him. His body’s strength feels alien, his survival miraculous but unsettling. Despite his feelings of betrayal, he holds himself together outwardly, grappling with this new reality while maintaining composure before Star and his grandfather .
[Chorus:]
"Machine beneath, I hear you breathe,
A hollow truth I can’t believe.
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You stole the man, left steel inside,
I’m still alive, but parts have died.
What’s this machine that’s in my veins?
My body screams, my mind’s in chains."
Connection to the Chapters:
The chorus encapsulates Cayro’s mounting dread in Chapter 6 as he reflects on his father’s actions and the implants within him. The idea of being “stolen” resonates with his belief that his humanity was taken in favor of an unfulfilled experiment. His anger and despair escalate as he questions whether he can ever live a normal life, especially after learning the augmentation might kill him without the C Drive .
[Verse 2:]
"They didn’t tell me, left me blind,
A piece of me I’ll never find.
These wires grow, these circuits hum,
But where I’m going, can’t outrun."
Connection to the Chapters:
This reflects Cayro’s growing realization that his situation was hidden from him for years. The line “left me blind” ties to his anger at both his grandfather and the SAF team for keeping secrets. As he grapples with the implant’s existence, he becomes consumed by its inescapable nature, feeling that he’s running from something within himself .
[Bridge:]
"I feel the wires under my skin,
The cold inside that can’t begin.
Am I still here, or just a ghost?
What did they take, what did they boast?"
Connection to the Chapters:
This introspective moment echoes Cayro’s doubts in Chapter 6, particularly his question, “Am I still human?” The cold wires symbolize his sense of alienation from his own body. He’s haunted by the notion that his father’s ambitions overshadowed any genuine care for him, leaving him questioning his identity and value as a person .
[Final Chorus:]
"Machine beneath, I hear you breathe,
A hollow truth I can’t believe.
You stole the man, left steel inside,
I’m still alive, but parts have died.
What’s this machine that’s in my veins?
My body screams, my mind’s in chains."
Connection to the Chapters:
The crescendo of the song mirrors Cayro’s emotional peak, where his anger, frustration, and despair come to a head. This is most evident in his confrontation with Star and his internal monologue about his father. His feelings of entrapment—both physically by the implants and emotionally by his legacy—are fully encapsulated in this refrain .
[Outro:]
Connection to the Chapters:
The unresolved outro reflects the state of Cayro’s journey by the end of Chapter 6. While he’s starting to process his new reality, his internal struggle remains unresolved. The lingering mechanical hum signifies the ever-present nature of his augmentation and the uncertainty of his future .
Conclusion:
“Machine Beneath” is a visceral expression of Cayro’s turmoil, anger, and identity crisis across Chapters 4-6. The song’s progression mirrors his descent into existential dread and his slow, reluctant journey toward acceptance—or at least endurance—in the face of overwhelming truths.