The slight thumps of rock and dirt clumps was all that remained of that last laser artillery barrage. Most of the humans last platoon, wiped out in a single blast. A man stumbled out from their bunker, covered in dirt and blood, some dry and some fresh. He fell to his knees, gasping for air as his tank neared empty. For months now the oxygen on Earth had been getting thinner and thinner to the point of needing helmets to breathe safely. The Groh were an effective army. Using their superior artillery to shell humanity’s footholds and then coming in to clean up the rest. The man could still hear the screams of his comrades as they turned to ash, crushed by rubble, burned to death, or simply bled out. It didn’t make him sad. No, the time for sadness was over. He didn’t feel fear, he’d been in the fight for long enough to where that was a distant memory.

In this moment of pure clarity, as the Groh marched in, their hulking forms blotting out the sun. Some pushed by the man, heading for the bunker. Three others stood in place in front of him.

“Sergeant Drake. By order of the Grohginar Empire, by the will of Grohdar himself, and by the will of its people. We declare your species extinct. Whatever pagan gods you worship, pray to them now and swiftly.” They spoke, in complete unison with that ghostly tone of theirs.

Drake coughed some more, his air filter all but spent. He carefully rose his bloodied hands and removed his helmet. Dark hair stuck to his forehead and he dropped the helmet onto the ruined earth.

He bowed his head and began to pray.

“L-Lord knows, I can’t change…” He croaked, earning sneers from the Groh in front of him.

“L-L-Lord help me…I can’t change.” His voice trembled some more but sounded clearer, more defined. Some respect was felt in the Groh, for they have not found humanity to be so devoted to their gods, pagan or otherwise.

“Lord, I can’t change.” Drake spoke once again, his voice smooth and calm, his breathing steadying. Color began filling his face once more and the bleeding from his wounds began to slow.

“Sir…the bunker is empty.” Reported an officer, a confused look on his green scaled face. The three in front of Drake conversed amongst themselves then faced the human, kneeling to his level and coming face to face with him. “Where. Is. The. Plant.” They chanted, their eyes glowing. Showing that the Groh hive mind was now in control.

Upon stepping closer, they see now that the earpiece in the humans ear was active. In fact, it was playing something. They were confident that this outpost was dead, all except the sergeant in front of them. Who could he be talking to? As soon as the question formed in their minds. Drake spoke once again.

“Wont you flyyyy highhhhhh FREEEEEEEEE BIIIIRRRRDDDD YEAHHHHHH!!” His voice roared in their ears, bursting their eardrums immediately and rupturing the ground. A sonic boom rippled through the air as a melody played throughout the surrounding area. The Groh have not heard such chaos, such madness, such insanity before. The aliens stood up, clasping their ears as a blow cracked the leftmost aliens knows with lightning speed. Another blow followed, smashing the middles chest and earning an explosion of blood from his mouth. The right one backed onto the ground and tried crawling away before feeling a hand grasp his ankle, which lifted him up and slammed him into a shed off to the side. The Groh by the building watched in horror before aiming their weapons. “What…is this power?” One of them spoke, eyes glowing from the hive mind.

“Free bird motherfuckers.” The sergeant spoke softly before raising his hand and delivering a lightning bolt to the group.

(It’s cheesy I know but there’s no way I could make this any more serious, hope you enjoyed!)