Where had the Temple of Seasons been hidden? The Maku Tree had said that a precious item was waiting in this temple, so Link had to search for clues. All he knew was that the temple was in a strange land.

In Horon Village, one man told Link that he had seen an odd girl in strange garb carrying a ribbon east of town. "Perhaps this is a clue," Link thought, "After all, the Maku Tree saw the temple in a strange land." So he headed to the eastern side of town. As he neared the eastern exit, a sleeping man suddenly sprung up and rushed up to Link.

Wait, young traveler. I'm a wandering prophet, Sokra. Ahh...I feel it! Spring, summer, autumn, winter! The four spirits are calling you! Make no mistake! The Temple of Seasons is still hidden in this world! If you can find the temple, then pay a visit to the spirits who live there. Surely they can help. Farewell!

Link was a bit bewildered, but in a way felt reassured that a prophet could see a direction for his quest. If he ever found the Temple of Seasons, he resolved look for these four spirits. Using his Ember Seeds, Link burned down some tall bushes blocking the village gate. He left the village and headed east.

After heading past a windmill, Link suddenly saw a strange girl wearing an orange robe and a pink ribbon. He could see nothing of her face but two glowing eyes. Hiding in the grass, Link listened as the strange girl muttered about how a "temple" (what's a temple, she wondered?) had fallen into Subrosia. Since Subrosia was a secret place, she had to return there in secret, without being seen. Link stealthily followed her as she continued along.

The girl seemed to anticipate that she would be followed. She wandered around, looking every which way, checking every corner, to make sure that nobody was looking. As the girl made her way through the Woods of Winter (which, oddly enough, were in autumn), Link had to carefully hide behind the trees to avoid her searching eyes.

At last the girl reached her destination. With one last look around, she slipped under a bush and promptly disappeared. Stunned, all Link could do was try to follow her wherever she went. He couldn't fit under the bush, so he drew out his sword and cut it down. Underneath he found a magical portal, which explained the girl's disappearance. Stepping into the portal, Link was taken to another land...

When Link opened his eyes, he was in a strange, dark land filled with lava and scurrying with the same kind of people he had just followed. Link had found his way to the secret underground land of Subrosia, populated by the mysterious robed Subrosians.

Nobody seemed surprised or alarmed by Link's presence, so he talked to them. "Whoa!" one Subrosian was saying to another, "A 'temple' fell into the East Plaza." The other Subrosian, spotting Link, said, "My! What strange clothes! Where did you find them?" Link didn't reveal too much, and wondered whether they actually knew he wasn't a Subrosian.

Fascinated with the Subrosian land and its people, Link explored a bit. He learned how the Subrosians valued ore chunks over rupees. He heard that you could win a useful boomerang if you did the Subrosian Dance well. Link wanted to try, so he visited the Subrosian Dance Hall. He joined a circle of Subrosians, as a dance master stood in the middle directing them. The instructor would demonstrate the dance moves, and the rest would imitate. Link did so well that the instructor gave him a prize: a boomerang! The boomerang could be used to snatch items and stun enemies.

Returning to his quest, Link resumed his search for the Temple of Seasons. In the East Plaza, Link found that the Temple of Seasons had fallen into a lava pit. The temple was still accessible, so Link walked to the entrance. As he drew near, voices suddenly called out to him:

You've finally come. When the temple was buried, I thought perhaps you wouldn't come to see me.

This Temple of Seasons is where we four spirits reside.

I've waited a long time for you. Do you like spring? Or summer? Fall, perhaps?

But no! You must love winter! Get the Rod of Seasons and visit us who wait in each of the four corner towers!

Link went through the main entrance of the temple, and entered a room flowing with pure, sparkling water. In the middle of the fountain stood a pedestal, and Link walked up and stood upon it. From the four corners of the room, balls of light appeared and moved toward Link. Combining, they changed into a beautiful rod, the Rod of Seasons. With the power of the Season Spirits, this rod could change the seasons! The voice of winter came to Link again, saying,

Now bring the Rod of Seasons to us Season Spirits in the four towers!

Link found that only the tower of winter was accessible. But when he entered, he found his way blocked by a river of lava. Noticing a switch on the other side, Link drew out his boomerang, and threw it. The boomerang hit the crystal switch, making a bridge appear over the river of hot magma. Link climbed the tower, and at the top found a beautiful statue of a fairy. When he drew near, the Spirit of Winter, in the form of a winged fairy, appeared in a brilliant flash of light, and circled around him.

Thank you for coming, child of the crested hand. The Spirit of Winter has been waiting for you. Din is our dear friend... Now, let me bestow the power of the Spirit of Winter on the rod you hold! When you swing the rod from atop a stump, the seasons shall change. In winter, the waters freeze and the snows pile up... Visit the other three spirits, too.

The Rod of Seasons glowed as it was blessed with a wintry chill. Thanking the spirit of winter, Link climbed back down the tower. When he went outside, he heard the voice of the Maku Tree speaking to him:

So the item was actually the Rod of Seasons! New roads will surely open with its power! I dreamt of woods in the east... There may be an essence there! Link, can you go for me?

Silently agreeing, Link headed back to the portal to explore the Woods of Winter for the next essence.