"Masquerade of a Dead Sword: A Tragedie" (1986) is a short story by American writer Thomas Ligotti, an American horror writer, in his debut collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer. It was first published by Silver Scarab Press. The story has been described as heroic fiction, as it takes place in a fantastical, anachronistic world, featuring a brave a hero who performs feats of gallantry and fights an implacable villain with the aid of a wizard. However, like Ligotti's other stories, the worldview is implacably nihilistic and pessimistic, depicting a fear-fraught journey towards death. Source: Wikipedia (en)