Once again, I have to ask what items you guys are using to teleport. The warpstone and cloak of elvenkind lack the range to get over that gap, so other demigods (even if you can shell out thousands of gold for these items) cannot duplicate what Erebus can do. Erebus' skill is also invaluable for getting in and out of battle, since he is no longer bounded by the normal choke points of the map, enabling him to circumvent enemy lines and steal flags from under their noses. It's not unbeatable, but it's very powerful and no one else can do it.
I also have to reiterate my problem, because people are giving me "solutions" that don't solve the issue I'm having. I'm well aware that you should spend a TP at the start of the game to quickly grab those flags, and I know the value of flag locks. My problem relates to the risk of leaving the vicinity of your towers. A fast demigod runs virtually no risk; he can just run away if he gets into a spot of trouble. If a slow demigod gets caught out there against Sedna or Erebus, he's got to beat off the enemy or he's dead. If he teleports, he's stunned. If he runs, he gets chased and killed long before he gets back to towers.
My problem is basically that some DG's just run a massive risk whenever they stray too far from their tower lines at low levels (8 and below). Crucible basically necessitates you doing so or else you give up a lot of gold and war rank. Locking flags is irrelevent if I run a very high risk of dying every time I attempt it.
So far, the only valid solution I've heard so far (and I'm applying it) is if I'm a slower demigod I just don't even attempt to take those flags, I try to push and go for them if the enemy DG dies or runs back for a heal. Flag locks are well and nice, but given how long it takes a demigod to meander down to that gold mine flag most of the lock's duration will have expired by the time he gets there anyways. Locking that experience flag and that celerity flag, sure, but the gold flag is just too remote to merit the lock IMO.