WRITTEN IN BLOOD: SHAOLIN MONK VS APACHE WARRIOR

 






















The Preface: Remember that little survey I took with my coworkers, the one about who would in a fight between a Viking and a Ninja? Well it turns out that people really seemed to enjoy that survey (and I had a really fun time writing that story of the battle). So much so that I have come up with another match up and survey that I just had to ask my fellow coworkers.

SHOALIN MONK VERSUS APACHE WARRIOR

WHO WINS?

Who would win in a hypothetical battle between a martial arts master of the far east and the ultimate hunter of the untamed old west? I asked all my coworkers their thoughts and their choice of who would win. I even managed to find a few more associates that I missed the last time around. What I found out was very interesting. Here’s what they said:

SHOALIN MONK                        APACHE WARRIOR               DON’T KNOW, DON'T CARE
40                                                      55                                                             1

ADVANTAGE: APACHE WARRIOR

I discovered a slight flaw in the question: most of my coworkers didn't know what a Shaolin Monk was. But nearly everybody knew exactly what an Apache Warrior was. The Apache gained several votes by default (since they didn't know what a martial arts master was). Others voted Apache in honor of their heritage (even though it was only 1/16). Apache pulled away fast and quick in the polls. Those who knew what a Shaolin Monk was though found it a very difficult choice to make but almost always landed on the side of the monk.

Men Vs Women: Which sex voted for what ~ 

I even became more detailed in my analysis of the votes breaking it apart according to gender (just to see if I could glean any insight into the minds of the sexes as well as the individuals). Honestly I believe most of the voting in this case was due to obligation to one's ancestry (which is honorable and respectful) and due to a lack of knowledge of the opposition. I found breaking it down by gender provided little new analysis. All in all I believe the previous voting on Ninjas or Vikings provided more interesting glimpses into the minds of my coworkers. Oh well. Here's the breakdown of the gender votes:

                                             Shoalin Monk                                      Apache Warrior

                                           Men        Women                                  Men          Women

                                            25              15                                       38               17

The Story: Here's the story I came up with about the battle. The outcome is totally based on the results of the survey and the votes of my coworkers. Enjoy!

THE SETTING

The year is 1867. The war that nearly tore this great country in two was ended only two short years ago. Now another battle is taking place, a battle to unify our country by railroad. The Union Pacific began building in Nebraska headed westward while the Central Pacific started in California building eastward. On the west coast there existed an influx of Chinese immigrants wanting work. The Central Pacific employed as many Chinese workers as they could afford and began laying track. 

Along the way the Central Pacific railroad company reached Apache territory. With no alternative in the survey plans the railroad was forced to continue ahead onto the Apache’s land. Meanwhile back in San Francisco a ship arrived from China carrying more labors and one Shoalin temple monk on a pilgrimage of enlightenment. Mistaken for a laborer the monk was gathered onto a train with the rest of his Chinese countrymen and shipped off the end of the line to work. 

Back at the Cut (the ditch where track was laid) two men, hired to guard the railroad from Native American attack, spotted two Apache on horseback along the horizon. One of the men, an eager young man from Tennessee, took a shot at the Apache striking the young brave in the chest. The brave fell off his horse stone cold dead. His brother turned and galloped back to the Apache camp. By dusk the railroad camp was beset by a band of vengeful Apache warriors. The rail car hauling a fresh load of workers and one monk arrived at the onset of battle. The monk stayed under cover in the rail car while the Central Pacific’s riflemen engaged the hostiles. The Chinese men working in the Cut were caught in the crossfire, drowning under a rain of arrows. The sight of his brethren unjustly slaughtered compelled him into action. 

THE BATTLE

The monk ran out into the field while guns fired around him and arrows whizzed past him. Reaching the Cut he began helping the men to safety. Casualties were incurred by both sides. Many Apache lost their horses in the firefight. Three Braves ran up on the men in the Cut wielding tomahawks and daggers. The monk stepped forward to defend the laborers. He dodged every swing of the tomahawks, side-stepping each thrust of the daggers. In three deft moves the monk took down his opponents. Arrows suddenly began flying his way, aimed specifically at him. He tuned out the noises around him, listening only to the wind, hearing the arrows slice through the air. His body moved with incredible speed, ducking beneath, leaping over, and leaning away. No arrow could touch him. More warriors came his way. 

Alone on a faraway hilltop astride his horse, the warrior chieftain of the Apache watched. His gaze was drawn to the monk defending the men in the ditch, soundly defeating his braves. He left the tranquil perch atop the hill and road toward the battlefield. In mid gallop he let an arrow fly from his bow. The arrow flew straight and true. In the middle of a five on one fight the monk reached out front catching the arrow an inch from his face. The Apache surrounding the monk recognized the arrow immediately. This monk had just been claimed. 

They backed away as their warrior chieftain rode in, arrows flying from his bow. These arrows flew faster than those of before, tearing through the monk's clothes as he narrowly avoided being struck. The Apache warrior road toward him firing arrow after arrow. The monk ran head on toward the Apache weaving in and out between arrows. The moment the Apache’s horse came in range the monk leapt through the air with a backspin kick! His foot struck the warrior in the chest knocking him off his horse. 

The Apache chieftain quickly regained his footing and dashed towards the monk, a tomahawk in each hand. The monk and Apache went back and forth trading blows, both dodging and landing attacks. The Apache buried one tomahawk in the monk shoulder! The monk thrust his knee up under the Apache’s elbow snapping the joint! Both warriors were now down an arm but still they fought. The monk made sure not to be struck by the tomahawk again. Kicks and punches flew at one another. The warrior chieftain landed a thrust kick to the monk’s chest knocking him off his feet. The Apache saw the opening and came down hard with the tomahawk. The monk rolled to the side barely avoiding having his chest cracked open. He responded with a kick to his enemy’s throat, knocking the Apache back. 

While the bullets and arrows flew and the battle raged around them, the monk and the warrior chieftain waged their own war. Smoke and dust clouded the twilight sky. The two warriors, evenly matched, fought each other for hours, neither refusing to give up. The guns of the Central Pacific’s hired men eventually drove the Apache back. He hated doing so, but the Apache warrior was forced to flee with his tribesmen. The look in his eyes told the monk that this battle was far from over.

That night the monk slept surround by dozens of grateful Chinese. In the dead of night while everyone along the railroad slept the Apache warrior chieftain returned. He came alone and under the cover of darkness, armed only with a knife. Making not a sound, he made his way into the railroad camp to where the monk lay. He held the knife to his throat…

The monk awoke with a start, as if escaping a nightmare. He looked about the room. To his relief there were only his countrymen around him, all alive and sleeping quietly. His senses must have been overactive for he could have sworn there had been someone else in the room with them that shouldn’t have been. He felt something cold across his neck, red paint. In a moment of terror the monk realized that his senses had not lied to him. His enemy had been there and could have easily murdered him in his sleep. Instead he left his mark. The next day the monk set out into the countryside in pursuit of the Apache camp. Realizing his defeat he honorably offered up his head to the Apache. The Warrior Chieftain, seeing the honor and skill of the monk, allowed him to leave with his life.

 Who do you think would win?
Comment below.