In Sorpigal, you can fly away through a sword, and one of the walls teleports you back (I don't remember exactly which one). Or, there's a gatekeeper living in Abdullah's village.
And regarding magic, it's still better for archers to invest in it, and water should be their priority – three slots of the Beacon spell is simply fantastic, and air for flight. Archers and knights have fast and light promotions (this is regarding what to do after Ironfist).