Flickering lights on a brick is the classic symptom for worn brushes. My diagnostic procedure for this symptom would have been to remove the voltage regulator from the back of the alternator and look at the brushes.
The fact that the flashing has stopped and it is no longer charging at all tells me that most likely the brushes are no longer contacting at all.
You can find new brushes for this alternator for $5-10 and solder them in place in about 10 minutes, or you can buy a new voltage regulator for about $60 and replace it in the time it takes to put those two screws back in. I soldered in new brushes at 150k miles, and then my voltage regulator failed at 250k miles, so I have done both procedures.
It is much easier to access the voltage regulator screws if the oil filter is off.
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