There Were Four

There were four, gathered around an unlit bonfire.

"I was expecting more, given the number of spirits approaching." I said.

The eldest woman glared at the border guardian. "We were assured that there were fewer spirits."

The guardian shifted uneasily. "There are fewer active spirits than he reported."

The young man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I have perhaps storage for ten of those." <1>

"More than I have. I can bind six." said the youngest woman.

The barkskin woman (a mix between elf and plant) lifted a bat from her belt, whispered to it and let it loose into the night. "I have summoned aid."

The eldest grimaced at the advancing wall of fire. "We will still lose trees because of this."

"The earlier we can return spirits to their home plane, the less destruction they will wreak here." I said. "I don't have the fatigue to perform the sending myself, but I have a decent store of various types of mana."